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Municipal educational institution Lyceum No. 5 named after Yu.A. Gagarin

Abstract on history

"Russian culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries"

Work completed:

Student of class 11A

Lysova Ekaterina

I checked the work:

Stepanchenko I.M.

Volgograd 2014

Introduction

Russian culture late XIX- beginning of the 20th century absorbed the artistic traditions, aesthetic and moral ideals of the “golden age” of the previous time. At the turn of the century, trends appeared in the spiritual life of Europe and Russia related to the worldview of a person in the 20th century. They demanded a new understanding of social and moral problems. All this led to the search for new artistic methods and means. A period developed in Russia that contemporaries called the “Silver Age” of Russian culture.

There were two points of view on the development of culture at the turn of the century. The point of view of modern scientists is connected with the concept formulated by the Russian philosopher Berdyaev, who wrote about the revival of Russian culture at the beginning of the twentieth century. Previously, another point of view was widespread, formulated by Russian socialists of that time and accepted in Soviet science: Russian art beginning of the twentieth century experienced not a renaissance, but a decline. This opinion was based on the conclusion about the crisis of bourgeois society and bourgeois culture in the era of imperialism.

consider various artistic movements in the culture of Europe in the 19th century;

explore new trends that emerged in European culture of the 19th century; golden age bourgeois imperialism

deepen knowledge about cultural and historical development;

Literature

Literary development in Russia was complex, contradictory and stormy. Many literary trends were born and developed. The power of the literature of critical realism in the person of L.N. did not dry out. Tolstoy, A.P. Chekhov. In the works of these writers, social protest intensifies (“After the Ball”, Hadji Murat”, “Resurrection” by L.N. Tolstoy), the expectation of a cleansing storm (“The Cherry Orchard” by A.P. Chekhov).

The traditions of critical realism continued to be preserved and developed in the works of the major writer I.A. Bunin (1870-1953). The most significant works of this period are the stories “Village” (1910) and “Sukhodol” (1911).

The birth and development of proletarian literature is taking place, which will later be called the literature of socialist realism. First of all, this is due to the creative activity of M. Gorky. His “Town of Okurov”, “The Life of Matvey Kozhemyakin”, the chain of stories “Across Rus'” carried a broad truth of life. In 1912, the literary path of A. Serafimovich (A.S. Popov, 1863-1949) began. The most significant work of the pre-revolutionary period is the novel “City in the Steppe,” which shows the formation of proletarian morality.

From 1912 to 1917 (with interruptions) the poet Demyan Bedny (E.A. Pridvorov, 1883-1945) worked for the workers' newspaper Pravda. And in 1914 The first “Collection of Proletarian Writers” was published under the editorship of M. Gorky. The poets themselves viewed their poetry as an ideological and aesthetic basis on which innovative and highly artistic literature had yet to emerge.

In the pre-October decade (meaning the Great October Revolution of 1917, which ended with the overthrow of the Provisional Government and the establishment of the power of the Bolshevik Party), a whole galaxy of peasant poets came to Russian literature, among whom the figure of Sergei Yesenin (1895 -1925) was of greatest importance. His first collection “Radunitsa” was published in 1916. and was a great success. Yesenin's poems were highly valued by the royal family; the poet was repeatedly invited to Tsarskoe Selo.

The most interesting things happened in poetry; here several movements fought and interacted with each other: symbolism, acmeism, futurism, “peasant poetry”, etc. At this time, a great many magazines and almanacs were published for a wide variety of tastes. This was a new rise in Russian poetry, which is why it is usually called the “Silver Age”.

A phenomenon on a European scale was symbolism. Russian symbolism refracted Western philosophical and aesthetic attitudes through the teachings of V.S. Solovyov about the “soul of the world” and acquired national originality. Idealist philosopher and poet V.S. Solovyov imagined that the old world of evil and deception was on the verge of destruction, that divine beauty (Eternal Femininity, the Soul of the World) was descending into the world, which was supposed to “save the world”, connecting the heavenly (divine) principle of life with the earthly, material, to create the “kingdom of God” on the ground".

Symbolism was closely connected with social upheavals and ideological quests of the pre-revolutionary decades. Russian symbolism has survived three waves. Performances 80-90 N. Minsky, D.S. Merezhkovsky, Z.N. Gipius reflected the decadent tendencies of the times of crisis of liberal and populist ideas. The symbolists sang “pure”, “free” art, the mysterious world of the unreal; the theme of “spontaneous genius” was close to them. “And I want, but I am not able to love

of people. I am a stranger among them,” says D. Merezhkovsky 1. “I need something that is not in the world,” Z. Gippius echoed him2. The symbolist of the “second wave” (1890-1900) V. Bryusov argued: “The day of the end of the Universe will come. And only the world of dreams is eternal”3. With the “second wave” (V.Ya. Bryusov, K.D. Balmont) of the late 19th century. and especially with the “third wave” (I.F. Anensky, V.I. Ivanov, A.A. Blok, A. Bely, etc.) of the beginning of the 20th century. symbolism in Russia.

It turned into an independent literary and philosophical movement, which actively influenced cultural and spiritual life. The publishing centers “Scorpio”, “Grif”, “Musachet”, the magazines “Libra”, “Golden Fleece” published works of symbolist poets who were intensely worried about the problem of personality and history, their “mysterious” connection with “eternity”. The inner world of the individual was an indicator of the general tragic state of the world, including the “terrible world” of Russian reality, doomed to destruction; and at the same time a foreboding of an imminent renewal.

Most Symbolist poets responded to the events of the 1st Russian Revolution (1905-1907). Blok writes “Rising from the Darkness of the Cellars...”, “The Barge of Life”, etc., Bryusov - “The Coming Huns”, Sologub - a book of poems “Political Tales”, Bolmond - Collection “Songs of the Avenger”, etc.

In 1909 - 1910 During the period of political reaction, symbolism experienced crisis and collapse, the aesthetic views and ideological sympathies of the poets diverged, each went their own way.

Symbolist poets also reacted differently to the October Revolution. Merezhkovsky and Gippius emigrated after October 1917. Blok, Bely, Bryusov perceived it as the realization of a dream about changing the forms of culture and life. The latest outbreak of activity of Russian symbolists is associated with the days of the October Revolution, when the group “Scythians” (A.A. Blok, A. Bely, S.A. Yesenin, etc.) again sought to combine symbolism and revolution. The pinnacle of these searches was the bloc’s poem “The Twelve,” which formed the basis of Soviet poetry.

Symbolism was a bright page in the history of Russian culture. In literature, he enriched the political possibilities of verse (semantic polyphony, reform of melodious verse, renewal of lyric genres, etc.), as poets sought to convey the unusualness of their worldview “with the same sounds, the same images, the same rhymes,” according to V. Bryusov, complete detachment from the rules, from the classical measure of creativity, according to K. Balmont (1867-1942).

Disillusioned with the symbolic cliche, some poets led by Nikolai Gumilyov created in the fall of 1911. “The Workshop of Poets”, and a little later a new movement - Acmeism (from the Greek AKME - the highest degree of something, flowering power) - a movement of Russian poetry in 1910, which proclaimed the liberation of poetry from the symbolic “unknowable” and a return to the material world, the exact meaning words.

The views of Akmist poets were reflected in numerous theoretical articles, but we are interested in Akminism because the work of major Russian poets such as N.S. Gumilyov (1886-1921), S.M. Gorodetsky, M.A. Zenkevich, is associated with it. G.V.Ivanov, E.Yu.Kuzmina-Karavaeva, O.E.Meldenshtam (1891-1938), A.A.Akhmatova (1889-1966 the connection of the last two with Acmeism was short-lived). In 1912 among

1. “World History artistic culture” S.V. Filimonova, part 3, Mozyr, 1998, p. 163.

2. “History of world artistic culture” S.V. Filimonova, part 3, Mozyr, 1998, p. 163.

3. “History of world artistic culture” S.V. Filimonova, part 3, Mozyr, 1998, p. 163.

They were united by an acceptance of the earthly world in its visible concreteness with all the details of everyday life, a living and immediate sense of nature, culture, as well as an increased interest in past literary eras. The latter allowed Mendelshtam to define Acmeism as “longing for world culture.” But each poet was deeply individual, profound and interesting. It is difficult to speak better than Gumilyov about the tragic mystery of Russian history - the evil, terrible “Rasputinism”.

Often creativity went beyond the narrow framework of Acmeism, the realistic principle, patriotic motives became predominant.

Acmeist poets, having gone through the school of symbolism, left their mark on the history of poetry; their discoveries in the field of artistic form were used by poets in the following decades.

Modernism (avant-garde) in Russian poetry was represented by the work of the futurists. In Russia, futurism existed as a movement from approximately 1910 to 1915.

In poetry, the head of the futurist school was the Italian Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, but for Russian futurists he was a weak authority, since his views were politically oriented (pro-fascist). Russian futurism was of an aesthetic nature; the futurists’ manifestos spoke about the reform of speech, poetry, and culture. During Marinetti's visit to Russia (January-February 1914), Livshits, Khlebnikov, and Mayakovsky sharply opposed him and his views in support of the war. Futurists sought to create the art of the future, declared the denial of traditional culture, cultivated urbanism (the aesthetics of machine industrialization and big city). To do this, they destroyed natural language in poetry, intertwined documentary material with fiction, creating their own rebellious “abstracts.”

The fate of Russian futurism is similar to the fate of symbolism. But there were also peculiarities. If for the symbolists one of the central moments of aesthetics was music (composers Taneyev and Rachmaninov, Prokofiev and Stravinsky, Gliere and Mayakovsky created numerous romances based on the poems of Blok, Bryusov, Sologub and especially Balmont), then for the futurists it was line and light. The poetry of Russian futurism was closely connected with avant-garde art. It is no coincidence that almost all futurist poets are known as good artists - V. Khlebnikov, V. Mayakovsky, E. Guro, V. Kamensky, A. Kruchenykh and, of course, the Burliuk brothers. At the same time, many avant-garde artists wrote poetry and prose and participated in futurist publications as writers. Painting greatly enriched futurism. K. Malevich, V. Kandinsky, N. Goncharova and M. Larionov almost created what the futurists were striving for.

The main feature was that several groups united under the common roof of one direction: 1. Cubo-Futurists (the prefix “Cubo” comes from the cubism they promoted in painting: sometimes members of this group called themselves “Budetlyans”): D. Burlyuk, V. Khlebnikov , V. Kamensky, since 1912 V. Mayakovsky, A. Kruchenykh, B. Livshits; 2. in St. Petersburg, egofuturists (from the Latin ego - I): V. Olimpov, I. Ignatiev, V. Gnedov, G. Ivanov, led by the most talented Igor Severyanin; 3. in Moscow, the group “Mezzanine Poetry” (1913-1914): V. Shershenevich, R. Ivnev, S. Tretyakov, B. Lavrenev etc.; 4. a group of poets concentrated around the Centrifuge publishing house: S.P. Bobrov, N.N. Aseev, B. Pasternak, K.A. Bolshakov, Bozhidar.

Each of these groups was considered, as a rule, to be an exponent of “true” futurism and conducted fierce polemics with other groups, but from time to time, members of different groups became closer or moved from one group to another. The aesthetics and philosophy of Russian futurism are most vividly and consistently reflected in the work of the Cubo-Futurists. After the appearance of the manifesto “A Slap in the Face of Public Taste” and at the same time the almanac in December 1912, people began to argue about the Cubo-Futurists, their poems began to be discussed in the collections “Dead Moon”, “Gag”, “Roaring Parnassus”, “Trebnik of Three”, etc.

What was behind the bold experiments and challenging experiments of the futurists?! The Futurists tried to take art out into the streets, into the crowd.

They protested against bourgeois stereotypes.

They reflected the psychology of the urban lower classes, the anarchic rebellion of the lumpen proletariat. Hence the coarsened vocabulary of the “man of the street”, a demonstrative combination of the “high” and “low” planes of life of the city at the beginning of the 20th century.

During the First World War, the futurist poets each went their own way. Already in 1915, M. Gorky said that “there is no Russian futurism. There are only Igor Severyanin, Mayakovsky, D. Burlyuk, V. Kamensky.” The October Revolution was welcomed by most futurists as a step towards a new future, to which they aspired, but the renewal of the old group turned out to be impossible. The most politically active part of the pre-revolutionary futurists entered the “LEF” (Left Front of the Arts, led by Mayakovsky) organized in 1922 and, consequently, into Soviet literature.

With all its internal contradictions, futurism played a certain role in the development of major poets: such as Mayakovsky, Khlebnikov, Pasternak, Aseev, etc., and also brought a lot to poetry: new vocabulary, rhythm, innovative rhyme of verse. And Khlebnikov’s word creation opened up unknown paths for poetry. The art of many “Budetlyans” has stood the test of time and is about to enter the 21st century.

Concluding a short conversation about an amazing period in Russian literature, I would like to draw attention to the desire for a synthesis of the arts (for the Symbolists - music and poetry, for the Futurists - poetry and painting). This desire can be clearly seen in theatrical art.

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. In Russian prose, the main literary movement of the second half of the last century, critical realism, continued to flourish. Tolstoy created new significant works. Social and socio-psychological problems are deeply reflected in Chekhov's works.

However, the artistic techniques of critical realism ceased to satisfy many writers at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. A deeper interest in personality, its inner world, the search for new visual means and forms - all this caused the emergence of modernism in literature and art. There were many currents in it. The desire of art to transform reality through artistic means gave rise to Russian symbolism. His theorist in the mid-1890s. Bryusov spoke. Another direction - acme - was a reaction to symbolism. Gumilev, Akhmatova, Mandelstam, Tsvetaeva, who created new lyric poetry, turned to the world of human feelings. The denial of traditional culture was expressed in the activities of supporters of the “art of the future” - futurists (Severyanin, Mayakovsky).

At the same time, at the beginning of the 20th century. Russia was swept by a wave of pulp literature aimed at bourgeois tastes (low-grade melodrama, detective stories, erotica).

At the crossroads of times, the premonition of a great breakdown was felt literally in everything, Russian culture flourished. This short, like any flowering, period of eras from the early 1890s to the mid-1910s is usually called the Silver Age. This sonorous name was born by analogy with the popular definition of “The Golden Age of Russian Literature” (why “Golden” The main themes are citizenship, love of freedom, patriotism, grandeur, relevance).

Literature teacher: But Pushkin's harmony is unattainable. Theories, names, directions changed rapidly. The “Silver Age” brought together a variety of poets, artists, performers, musicians, and philosophers in an attempt to find some new fusion of creativity and life.

Contents of the speech of the third group: It was in culture that the salvation of the world, shaken by technical innovations and social explosions, was seen. The crisis in the country was reflected in the diversity of literary trends. The founders were symbolist poets (definition, content, origin). Initially, symbolism took the form of decadence (definition, content, origin). They used color symbolism: black - mourning, death. Blue - solitude, sadness, magical meaning. Yellow - betrayal, treason. Gray - dust, the color of plaque.

All the poets of the Silver Age have one thing in common: they wrote about their beloved, beautiful Motherland with its difficulties. They paved the way for modern literature. And all our contemporary poets turn to their work.

History teacher: This “new beauty”, this search for a new form was reflected in the painting of the 19th - early 20th centuries. What are the features of the Russian painting school of the “Silver Age”?

Fine Arts teacher: Symbolism as a phenomenon was also characteristic of Russia in the 20th century. The largest among them are Vrubel and Petrov-Vodkin.

Painting

Conclusion

The historical paradox is that the freedom and diversity of the artistic life of those years serve both as a confirmation of the strength of Russian culture and as a confirmation of the weakness of the distorted consciousness of a part of educated Russian society. In those specific socio-psychological conditions, culture could not maintain social balance, but it was not to blame for this. She left such masterpieces that the world admires today. This sociocultural phenomenon went down in history under the name of the “Silver Age” of Russian culture.

The history of national culture is our spiritual wealth. Culture contains the memory of a people; through culture, each new generation, entering life, feels itself to be part of this people.

Culture develops continuously, and each generation of people builds on what was created by its predecessors.

Time and the neglect of descendants led to the loss of many cultural monuments. But the history of Russian culture shows that in addition to losses, there were also finds and discoveries. Thus, after many centuries, “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” returned to our culture, and the spiritual significance of Russian literature was revived. Thus, ancient Russian icons, discovered under several layers of later painting, were restored. Domestic non-Marxist philosophy is being re-mastered, and the literature and art of the Russian diaspora of the 20th century are coming into our culture.

The history of national culture is not limited to national boundaries. Representatives of other nations made an enormous contribution to Russian culture, just as figures of Russian origin devoted their strength and talent to the cultural development of the peoples of the USSR and other countries.

Russian culture was formed and is developing today as one of the branches of the mighty tree of world universal human culture. Its contribution to world cultural progress is undeniable: these are cultural scientific discoveries, and masterpieces of literature and art, and, perhaps most importantly, loyalty to humanistic ideals.

Mastering the cultural wealth of humanity is becoming an increasingly constant need of the time, and the study of the history of Russian culture is acquiring extremely important social significance.

Bibliography

1. Albert Jacques, Bender Johan and others. History of Europe. - M.: “Enlightenment”, 1996.

2. Bolshakov V.P. The originality of the culture of the New Age in its development from the Renaissance to the present day. - Veliky Novgorod: NovSU named after Yaroslav the Wise, 2004

3. Voskresenskaya N. O. Culturology. - History of world culture. - M.: UNITY - DANA, Unity, 2003.

4. Gurevich P. S. Culturology. 2nd edition. - M.: Knowledge, 2002.

5. Drach G.V. Culturology. - Rostov n/a: “Phoenix”, 1996.

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The turn of the 19th–20th centuries is a period of a new rise in Russian culture. This is a time of rethinking the traditions and values ​​of Russian and world culture of the 19th century. It is filled with religious and philosophical quests, rethinking the role of the artist’s creative activity, its genres and forms.

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Decadence in Russia became a reflection of religious philosophy, incorporating the aesthetics of symbolism. Western European culture also developed in a multifaceted way, where decadence and symbolism were parallel trends in poetry and philosophy. In Russia, both of these concepts quickly become synonymous. This leads to the formation of two schools: Moscow and St. Petersburg, which developed both aesthetic concepts. If the St. Petersburg school sought to overcome individualism on the basis of the mystical and religious philosophy of Vl. Solovyov, the Moscow school most fully absorbed European traditions. There was a special interest here in the philosophy of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, and in the synaestheticism of French poetry.

An analysis of the socio-cultural life of the late 19th century shows that the mood of a certain stability widespread in society in the 80s is being replaced by some kind of psychological tension, the expectation of a “great revolution” (L. Tolstoy). In one of his letters in 1901, M. Gorky noted that “the new century will truly be a century of spiritual renewal.”

Since the mid-90s, a social upsurge has begun again in the socio-political life of Russia, a feature of which has become a broad liberal movement and the participation of workers in revolutionary democratic uprisings.

The Russian intelligentsia turned out to be almost helpless in the face of the new demands of political development: a multi-party system was inevitably developing, and actual practice was significantly ahead of the theoretical understanding of the principles of the new political culture.

All these trends occurred against the background of the growing diversity of spiritual life that accompanied the development of capitalism and the weakening of authoritarian control by the autocracy.

The diversity of forces fighting in the political arena and the special character of the Russian revolution influenced culture, the creative and ideological quests of its leaders, and opened up new paths for socio-cultural development. Complexity and inconsistency historical reality determined the diversity of forms of the cultural and historical process.

Philosophical and aesthetic thought in Russia as an independent branch of knowledge developed with some delay and at the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries had a number of features, due, first of all, to the border position of Russians between Europe and Asia and their unique spiritual world. The cultural theories of that time were given particular specificity by the feeling of instability, instability, uncertainty and nervousness in Russian culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In Russian philosophical and aesthetic thought of the 19th - first half of the 20th centuries. the predecessor of Russian cosmism N.F. Fedorov contributed; philosopher V.V. Rozanov, who proclaimed family and sex life to be the basis of faith; proponent of the reconciliation of science and religion S.L. Frank, who contributed to the formation of an existentialist view of culture; the prophet of future world catastrophes and the creator of the philosophy of the absurdity and tragedy of human existence L.I. Shestakov, who spoke out against the dictates of reason over the spiritual freedom of the individual, etc.

The complex social processes that engulfed Russia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, growing political instability, and the search for ways to further develop the country made the discussion of social science issues especially relevant. It included representatives of a wide variety of scientific specialties and ideological movements. An important factor in the ideological development of Russia was the spread of Marxism. The largest theorists of Russian Marxism were the leaders of the social democratic movement V.I. Lenin, G.V. Plekhanov, N.I. Bukharin. The positions of “legal Marxism” were initially occupied by the famous Russian philosopher N.A. Berdyaev, who later switched to seeking God in the spirit of religious existentialism, and the economist M.I. Tugan-Baranovsky. The most significant of the non-Marxist thinkers were the sociologist P.A. Sorokin, who emigrated from the country after the revolution; economist, philosopher and historian P.B. Struve. Russian religious philosophy was bright and original. Its most significant representatives are V.S. Solovyov, Prince S.N. Trubetskoy, S.N. Bulgakov, P.A. Florensky.

Leading direction in literary process the second half of the 19th century was critical realism. It is reflected especially clearly in the works of A.P. Chekhov. Talent A.P. Chekhov manifested himself, first of all, in stories and plays in which the writer amazingly accurately, with subtle humor and slight sadness showed the life of ordinary people - provincial landowners, zemstvo doctors, county young ladies, behind the monotonous course of whose lives arose a real tragedy - unfulfilled dreams, unrealized aspirations that turned out to be useless to anyone - power, knowledge, love.

The appearance of Russian literature changed quite seriously at the turn of the century. Maxim Gorky entered Russian culture with a bright and original talent. Coming from the people, shaped as a personality thanks to persistent self-education, he enriched Russian literature with images of extraordinary strength and novelty. Gorky took a direct part in the revolutionary movement, actively promoting the activities of the RSDLP. He put his literary talent at the service of the political struggle. At the same time, Gorky’s entire work cannot be reduced only to narrow political enlightenment. As a real talent, he was wider than any ideological boundaries. His “Song of the Petrel”, the autobiographical trilogy “Childhood”, “In People”, “My Universities”, the plays “At the Depths”, “Vassa Zheleznova”, and the novel “The Life of Klim Samgin” are of enduring importance.

Significant role in literary life turn of the century were played by V. G. Korolenko (“The History of My Contemporary”), L. N. Andreev (“Red Laughter”, “The Tale of the Seven Hanged Men”), A. I. Kuprin (“Olesya”, “The Pit”, “ Pomegranate Bracelet”), I. A. Bunin (“Antonov Apples”, “Village”).

Great changes occurred at the turn of the century in poetry. Critical realism of poets of the second half of the 19th century. is replaced by the innovative, free-flight of artistic imagination, mysterious, whimsical, mystical poetry of the “Silver Age”. A characteristic feature of the life of the poetic environment of that time was the emergence of artistic associations that professed certain creative principles. One of the first to emerge was the Symbolist movement. It was formed in 1890–1900. The first generation of symbolists included D.S. Merezhkovsky, Z. Gippius, K.D. Balmont, V.Ya. Bryusov, F. Sologub. The second includes A.A. Blok, A. Bely, V.I. Ivanov.

The key to the aesthetics of symbolism was the desire to convey one’s sense of the world through poetic “symbols”, peculiar half-hints, for the correct understanding of which it was necessary to abstract from the direct, mundane perception of reality and intuitively see, or rather, feel in everyday images a sign of a higher mystical essence, to touch the global the secrets of the universe, to Eternity, etc.

Later, a new poetic direction, acmeism, emerged from symbolism (from the Greek akme - edge, highest point flourishing). The works of N.S. Gumilyov, the early works of O.E. Mandelstam, A.A. Akhmatova belong to it. The Acmeists abandoned the aesthetics of allusion inherent in symbolism. They are characterized by a return to clear, simple poetic language and a precise, “tangible” image.

The literary activity of the masters of the Russian avant-garde was distinguished by true innovation. In 1913, a movement arose called futurism (from the Latin futurum - future). Futurists, among whom there were many very talented poets (V.V. Mayakovsky, A.E. Kruchenykh, the Burlyuk brothers, I. Severyanin, V. Khlebnikov), were characterized by bold experiments with words and poetic form. The works of the futurists - the “poetry of the future” - were sometimes very coldly perceived by the reading public, but the creative search that they conducted had a huge impact on the further development of Russian literature.

This period was marked by the complexity of the sociocultural situation in Russia. The era of the Russian-Japanese and the First World Wars, three revolutions, terrible disasters and social explosions.

At the same time, the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. marked by the achievements of scientific and technological progress. The introduction of electricity into industry, the appearance of cars and airplanes, the discovery of radio and X-ray waves - everything changed the appearance of the country and the way of life of people. At the beginning of the century, the first Russian cities with a population of more than a million appeared. Since the spring of 1896, first in St. Petersburg and Moscow, and then in other large cities (in 1903 - 1904), cinema began to function. By 1913, there were more than 1,400 cinemas in Russia.

The general process of development of Russian art proceeded contradictorily, striking in its diversity. artistic methods, schools, directions,

In Russian artistic culture this period was called Silver Age, which came after Zolotoy, which embodied the highest achievements of Russian art.

The originality of the artistic culture of the Silver Age can be characterized as the parallel development of the realistic direction and a number of non-realistic trends, united by the name of the avant-garde. As art critic V. Vanslov states: “In the 20th century, realism and avant-garde were assessed in struggle and mutual negation.”

Realism retains artistic significance and fruitfulness. Suffice it to cite creativity as an example. L.N. Tolstoy(1898 – 1910) – dramaturgy (“Fruits of Enlightenment” 1891; “The Living Corpse” - 1900; prose - “The Kreutzer Sonata” 1891; “Father Sergius” - published in 1912, “Hadji Murat” - published in 1912; religious -philosophical quest - “Confession” published in 1906 and others.

At the turn of the century, realistic trends with elements of impressionism were embodied in prose and drama. A.P. Chekhov(1860 - 1904), associated with the Moscow Art Theater, the work of K. Stanislavsky and V. Nemirovich-Danchenko: prose - “Ward No. 6” - 1892, “House with a mezzanine” - 1896; “Ionych”, “Man in a Case”, “Gooseberry” all in 1898; dramaturgy - “Uncle Vanya”, “The Seagull” 1896; "Three sisters", " The Cherry Orchard" - both 1904.

The realistic tendencies of Russian classical literature are developed by A. Kuprin, I. Bunin, V. Veresaev. These days their direction is called neorealism.

A. Kuprin(1870 – 1953) – “Listrigons” (1907-1911); “Gambrinus” - 1907, “Garnet Bracelet” - 1911, “Anathema” - 1913. It should be noted that Kuprin lived in the Crimea in Balaklava; The story “Listrigons” 1907-1911 is dedicated to its fishermen residents.

I. Bunin (1870 – 1953) – Nobel laureate, since 1920 in exile. In Russia: “Antonov Apples” – 1900, “Mr. from San Francisco” – 1915, “Easy Breathing” – 1910 and others. At the same time, I. Bunin is an outstanding poet: “Falling Leaves,” 1981; singer of love (“Dark Alleys” and others), brilliant stylist, master of language.

V. Veresaev(1867 - 1945) in the stories and short stories "Without a Road" - 1895, "Plague" - 1989, "Two Ends" - 1899-1903, "Notes of a Doctor" - 1901 and others, raised questions about the fate of the Russian intelligentsia of the turning point period. Novels N.G. Garin-Mikhailovsky(1852 – 1906; “Theme’s Childhood”, “Gymnasium Students”, “Students”, “Engineers”). "The Story of My Contemporary" (published 1922) V.G. Korolenko(1853 - 1921) were a reliable narrative about the spiritual life and quests of Russian youth.

During this period, the creative path of M. Gorky (1868 - 1936) began, creating at the turn of the century realistic stories, short stories and novels ("Foma Gordeev", - 1899, "Three" - 1901) and plays ("The Bourgeois" - 1902, " At the Lower Depths" - 1902, "Summer Residents" - 1905, "Enemies" - 1906 and others). On Gorky's initiative, the publishing house "Knowledge" was organized, uniting realist writers (N. Teleshov, A. Serafimovich, I. Shmelev, E. Chirikov and others). At the same time, M. Gorky is the author romantic works: “Tales of Italy”, 1911 – 1913, “Old Woman Izergil”, 1895 and others.

Along with realism, neorealism in the literature of the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries. both in Europe and in Russia unrealistic directions are being formed, including symbolism. The concept of symbolism united poets of two generations:

"senior" symbolists(poets of the 90s): Z. Gippius (1869 – 1921), D. Merezhkovsky (1865 – 1911), V. Bryusov (1873 – 1924), F. Sologub (1865 – 1941) and others.

"younger" symbolists– generation of the 1900s: A. Blok (1880 – 1949), A. Bely (1880 – 1934), Vyach. Ivanov (1866 – 1949) and others.

Following Rimbaud, Malariy, Baudelaire, Russian symbolists, based on the poetics of symbol, sought to recreate a surreal artistic space, the effect of uncertainty, which brought them closer to the poetics of romanticism. The creative principle (theurgy, life-creativity), the interchangeability of the ability to synthesize arts were proclaimed (S. Bulgakov: “... all art in its depths is all art...”, C. Baudelaire - the law of “universal analogy”). The philosophical basis was the ideas of A. Schopenhauer, F. Nietzsche and others.

What united so many different masters was the teaching Vl. Solovyov: ideas of “integral creativity”, the subordination of matter to the ideal divine principle.

K. Balmont– “In the Vast,” 1895; “Let's be like the sun”, 1902;

A. Bely– “Gold in Azure”, 1904; “Northern Symphony, 1904;

A. Blok– “Retribution”, 1908 – 1913; “Poems about a Beautiful Lady”, 1904, 1905; “The Nightingale Garden”, 1915 and others.

Oh, I want to live crazy:

To perpetuate everything that exists,

Humanize the impersonal

Make the unfulfilled come true!

A. Blok, “Iambas”

In the development of forms, the musicality of the linguistic means of Russian verse, in the enrichment of the “country of Russian poetry” A. Blok, V. Bryusov, in the best works of A. Bely, K. Balmont, F. Sologub did a lot and rightfully established themselves as significant masters. Creation A. Blok constituted an era in Russian culture (the cycles “Retribution”, “On the Kulikovo Field”, “Motherland”, “Iambas”, etc.), reflecting the complexities and contradictions of Russian art of this period.

New direction of Russian modernism– acmeism(from the Greek akme - the highest degree of something, peak, blooming power) were represented by the largest poets of the 20th century. The manifesto of Acmeism was N. Gumilyov’s article “The Legacy of Symbolism and Acmeism,” which reflected his artistic orientation. One of the forms of organization was the “Workshop of Poets”, to which belonged: N. Gumilev (1886 – 1921), A. Akhmatova (1889 – 1966), O. Mandelstam (1891 – 1938).

At the center of the Acmeist aesthetics is the problem of the greatness of the word, a reverent attitude towards the native language. Gumilyov’s poem “The Word” was the programmatic poem:

On that day, when over the new world
God bowed his face, then
The sun was stopped with a word
In short, they destroyed cities...

The fate of these poets is tragic: N. Gumilyov was shot (1921), O. Mandelstam died in the camps (1938).

Anna Akhmatova in later works - “ Requiem», « Poem without a hero"reflected the tragedy of the era of the 30s. XX century. She was recognized as a great Russian poet and became the conscience of the generation.

In the terrible war year of 1942, on February 23, she wrote poems in which Russian word called it the treasure of the people, a symbol of their courage and immortality.

Courage

We know what's on the scales now
And what is happening now.
The hour of courage has struck on our watch,
And courage will not leave us.
It's not scary to lie down dead under bullets,
It's not bitter to be homeless,
And we will save you, Russian speech,
Great Russian word.
We will carry you free and clean
We will give it to our grandchildren and save us from captivity
Forever!

A direction called the Russian avant-garde is rapidly developing. Of the avant-garde movements in Russia, the most developed futurism, later transformed into Cubo-Futurism.

IN previous sections The book noted that the birthplace of futurism was Western Europe, and its founder was Tomaso Marinetti, a young Italian poet who published the “First Manifesto of Futurism” in 1909 in Paris. “The main elements of our poetry,” Marinetti declared, “will be courage, audacity and rebellion.”

The author positioned the “offensive movement”, not only the “gymnastic step” as the defining features of his direction, but even the speed of the “racing car”, uniting all this with the “beauty of speed” and dynamism, destructive power.

Russian futurism, although it was in many ways similar to Italian, was not so monolithic. V. Mayakovsky (1893 – 1930), V. Khlebnikov (1885 – 1922), A. Kruchenykh(1886 – 1968), finally, D. Burliuk(1883 – 1967), nicknamed “the father of futrism,” were bright individuals and experimenters. After Marinetti’s visit to Russia (1914), D. Burliuk and V. Kamensky published a letter in which they stated: “We have nothing in common with the Italian futurists except a nickname.”

The futurists set the task of creating “synthetic” art,” combining all types of artistic activity. Based on this, syntheticity, synthesis of arts - distinctive features creative style of futurist masters.

They were poets, artists, and theater workers.

I immediately blurred the map of Dubnya,

Splashing paint from a glass,

I showed jelly on a dish

The slanting cheekbones of the ocean.

On the scales of a tin fish

I read the calls of new lips

Nocturne play

We could

Flute drainpipes?

V. Mayakovsky (1913)

Futurists were engaged in language creation (V. Mayakovsky, V. Khlebnikov), searching for new pictorial forms (D. Burlyuk, A. Kruchenykh, A. Ekster, M. Goncharova, V. Larionov and others), holding debates, organizing exhibitions. The appeal to primitivism, popular popular print. Avant-garde artists paid special attention to problems of form: compositional solutions, color and line, rhythm, texture, etc.

Characterizing the originality of the Russian avant-garde, Dm. Sarabyanov emphasized that his figures solved the “general problems of existence”: the relationship between the earthly and cosmic (Malevich), the priority of the spiritual over the material (Kandinsky), the unity of humanity in its historical, modern and future state (Filonov), the realization of the human dream in “its fusion with human memory (Chagall). “These problems were solved not in philosophical treatises, but in pictorial formulas, and these formulas received a philosophical coloring.” Futurism in Russian poetry found expression in the works of D. Burliuk (1882 - 1967), V. Khlebnikov (1885 - 1922), A. Kruchenykh (1886 - 1968). The brightest poet, whose work reflected the features of futurism, was V. Mayakovsky (1893 - 1930), who expanded the boundaries of his poetry, which became a cry of pain of a man conquered by the city ("Vladimir Mayakovsky", "Cloud in Pants" and others)

Poetry has become the singer of native nature, the exponent of the innermost secrets of the human soul. S. Yesenina(1895 – 1925): collections “ Radunitsa» 1916; " Pigeon" 1918, " Persian motifs"1925, poems" Anna Snegina" 1925, " Black man» 1926 and others. The human world and the natural world in S. Yesenin’s poem are inseparable. He wrote soulfully:

I think:
How beautiful
Earth
And there's a man on it

The short life and creative path of the poet reflected both the contradictions of reality and the complexities of his personality. But the main direction of his poetry has always been love for the Motherland, its culture, nature, and the Russian word:

But even then
When in the whole planet
The tribal feud will pass,
Lies and sadness will disappear,
I will chant
With the whole being in the poet
Sixth of the land
With a short name "Rus".

In the cultural life of Russia at the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries. a significant event was the creation of the Moscow Art and Public Theater K.S. Stanislavsky And IN AND. Nemirovich-Danchenko. The theater defended the realistic principles of acting. His repertoire included plays by A. Chekhov, M. Gorky, L. Tolstoy, G. Hauptmann, G. Ibsen.

During this period, the creativity of remarkable actors flourishes: M.N. Ermolova, A.P. Lensky, Sadovsky dynasty(Maly Theatre), M.G. Savina, V.N. Davydova, V.F. Komissarzhevskaya(Alexandria Theater) and others. The productions of E. Meyerhold at the Alexandria Theater, who later created his own team, were distinguished by the originality of their interpretation and originality.

A significant phenomenon in the artistic culture of Russia at the turn of the century was the activity of the first film directors, among them - Ya.A. Protazanov ( 1881 – 1945), a galaxy of popular actors (V. Kholodnaya, I. Mozzhukhin, V. Maksimov, V. Polonskaya).

Actively developing musical life. Higher musical education was represented by the St. Petersburg and Moscow conservatories, which arose back in the 60s. XIX century. Music schools in Kyiv, Saratov, Odessa were transformed in the 10s. at the conservatory. The Philharmonic Society is active in Moscow, " Contemporary Music Evenings" In Petersburg, " Music exhibitions".

The largest composers of the 20th century were S. Rachmaninov (1873 – 1943), A. Glazunov (1865 – 1936), A. Scriabin(1872 – 1915). Music was marked by innovative trends I. Stravinsky and young S. Prokofiev. "They played a big role in promoting Russian art abroad" Russian seasons in Paris"S. Diaghilev, where Stravinsky's ballets ("Firebird", "Petrushka") were presented, they danced A. Pavlova, M. Fokin And V. Nijinsky, the scenery was painted by A. Benois and A. Golovin.

The activities of representatives of the plastic arts were diverse and varied - painting, graphics, architecture, sculpture,applied arts. One of the most important aspects of the artistic life of Russia during this period was the abundance of exhibitions (10–15 per year), the expansion of their geography (Kharkov, Odessa, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Saratov and others). The Association of Traveling Exhibitions continues its activities, along with it the St. Petersburg Society of Artists and the Moscow Association of Artists. Since the beginning of 1899, exhibitions of the new society have been organized in St. Petersburg World of Art"Thanks to the activities of a member of this circle S. Diaghileva(1872 - 1929), Russian art goes abroad, and international exhibitions operate in Russia.

Was open to spectators Russian Museum in St. Petersburg (1898); in August 1892 P. Tretyakov donated his art collection to the city of Moscow; in 1898, the foundation stone for the building of the Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow took place (now the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts). There were several private art galleries in Moscow: P. Shchukin, I. Morozov, A. Bakhrushev and others

Art criticism is developing, young critics and art historians are speaking: A. Benoit (1870 – 1960), I. Grabar(1871 – 1960), published a lot N. Roerich(1874 – 1947) and others.

Realistic direction in painting, as in literature, it was very fruitful. At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. were still working I. Repin, V. Surikov, V. Vasnetsov, V. Vereshchagin, V. Polenov and others. During this period, V.A.’s talent flourished. Serov (1865 – 1911), who deepened the content of realism and expanded its expressive possibilities (“Girl with Peaches”, “Girl Illuminated by the Sun”, portraits of Gorky, Ermolova and others). Serov varied his artistic style depending on the characteristics of the work and the originality of nature (portraits of M. Morozov, banker V. Girshman, Princess Orlova). A significant place in his work is occupied by historical compositions ("Peter I") and mythological subjects ("The Rape of Europa", "Odysseus and Nausicaa").

One of the outstanding masters who paved new paths in painting - K. Korovin(1864 - 1939), who was influenced by impressionism ("In Winter", "Summer", "Roses and Violets" and others), Korovin creates scenery for performances of the Russian Private Opera of S. Mamontov, the Imperial and Bolshoi Theaters. Korovin's best theatrical works are associated with national themes, with Russia, its epics and fairy tales, its history and nature.

Art is excited and spiritualized M. Vrubel(1856 – 1910). The expressiveness of his works increases thanks to dynamic painting, shimmering color, and energetic drawing. This is an easel painting, a book illustration, a monumental decorative panel, and a theater set.

One of the central themes in his work is the theme Demon, inspired by the poetry of M. Lermontov (“The Seated Demon”, “The Flying Demon”, “The Defeated Demon”). Epic heroes come to life in his panels “Mikula Selyaninovich”, “Bogatyr”. The fairy-tale images of “Pan” and “The Swan Princess” are beautiful. The portraits (of S. Mamontov, V. Borisov and others) are unique and significant.

The poeticization of images of nature and man was embodied in the work of V. Borisov-Musatov (1870 - 1905).

A significant phenomenon in Russian artistic life was the ideological and artistic association " World of Art", which included A. Benois (1870 - 1960), K. Somov (1869 - 1939), L. Bakst (1866 - 1924), E. Lanceray (1875 - 1946), M. Dobuzhinsky (1875 - 1957). In two types of art, the artists of the "World of Arts" achieved the most significant success: in theatrical and decorative and in graphics. Landscapes of old St. Petersburg and its suburbs, as well as portraits became the originality of easel graphics. A great contribution to the graphics of the early 20th century was made by A. Ostroumova-Lebedeva. I. Bilibin, D. Kardovsky, G. Narbut and others worked fruitfully in book graphics.

Talented masters were united and " Union of Russian Artists"(1903 - 1923), in whose exhibitions K. Korovin, A. Arkhipov, A. Vasnetsov, S. Malyutin and others took part; A. Rylov, K. Yuon, I. Brodsky were close to the "Union" in their artistic positions , A. Malyavin. Scenery- the main genre in the art of the masters of the Union of Russian Artists. They depicted the nature of central Russia, the sunny south, the harsh north, and ancient Russian cities and ancient estates. These artists were interested in rapid visual coverage of the world, dynamic composition, and blurring the boundaries between compositional painting and life sketch.

In the decade 1907 - 1917 the arts include talented painters. Z.E. Serebryakova(1884 - 1967) developed the traditions of Venetsianov, the great masters of the Renaissance ("The Harvest", "Whitening the Canvas"). Her portraits (self-portrait, portraits of children) are distinguished by their inner warmth and artistic expressiveness.

K.S. Petrov-Vodkin(1878 – 1939) was interested in ancient Russian art, especially icon painting. This was reflected in the paintings “Mother” and “Morning”, where the images of peasant women symbolize high spiritualized moral purity. A new phenomenon was the painting “The Bathing of the Red Horse” (1912), distinguished by its laconic composition, the dynamics of space, the classical rigor of the design and the harmony of color based on the main colors of the spectrum.

The formation of creativity is associated with the beginning of the 20th century M.S. Saryan(1880 – 1972). His laconic works are built on bright and solid color silhouettes, contrasts of rhythm, light and shadow ("Street. Noon. Constantinople", "Date Palm. Egypt" and others).

One of the most significant phenomena of Russian art of the early 20th century is the work of M.V. Nesterova (1862 – 1942). The artist turned to the world of ideal beauty and sang the purity of religious feeling. A huge role in Nesterov’s works is played by the landscape, with which the inner world of his heroes is connected. This " Hermit", "Vision to the youth Bartholomew", "Great tonsure"and others. Nesterov's skill as a portrait painter is also evolving. The artist paints most of his portraits against the backdrop of a landscape (portrait of his daughter: the figure of a girl in a black riding habit stands out in a beautiful silhouette against the backdrop of an evening landscape, embodying the ideal of youth, the beauty of life and harmony).

At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a noticeable revival sculpture, a galaxy of major masters appeared. P.P. Trubetskoy (1866 – 1938) revealed his talent in portraits (“Artist I.I. Levitan”, portrait of L. Tolstoy). The monument to Alexander III gained wide popularity.

To the striking phenomena in Russian art at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. refers to the work of A.S. Golubkina (1864 – 1927). Her art is emphatically spiritual, filled with deep content and consistently democratic. She creates sculptural portraits of the writer A.N. Tolstoy and a simple woman (“Marya”, 1903). Her favorite technique is sharp light and shadow modeling, with the help of which the sculptor achieves special dynamics and emotionality of the image.

The talented, original and multifaceted sculptor S.G. Konenkov (1874 – 1971) during this period created the works “Stonebreaker”, “Samson”, and one of the most captivating images - “Nike” (1906). Traditions of Russian folklore occupy a large place ("Old Field Man", etc.).

Architecture late XIX – early XX centuries. distinguished by the development of Art Nouveau style; who put forward the task of decisive renewal of artistic and figurative language. One of the most important creative problems was the synthesis of arts. Feature Art Nouveau is an interweaving of creative manners and various trends. Modernism evolved quickly. Its early stage was characterized by formal decorative techniques and mannered ornamentation. At the turn of the 1900s - 1910s. rationalistic tendencies intensified. Late modernism is characterized by a desire for simplicity and rigor.

One of the leading masters of Art Nouveau - F.O. Shekhtel (1859 – 1926). His main works are the mansion of S.P. Ryabushinsky; Yaroslavl Station (1902) is an example of national modernism (“neo-Russian style”), etc.

A typical example of early modernism is the Metropol Hotel (architect V.F. Valkot), the facades are decorated with majolica panels made according to sketches by M. Vrubel and A. Golovin. In St. Petersburg, the Kshesinskaya mansion (A.I. von Hugen), the Eliseev store building on Nevsky Prospekt (G.V. Baranovsky), Vitebsky railway station (S.A. Brzhozovsky).

Since the 1910s, there has been a desire in architecture to revive the tradition of ensemble development of the classicist era. Representatives of neoclassicism - I.A. Fomin (1872 – 1936), V.A. Shchuko (1878 – 1939), A.V. Shchusev (1873 – 1949) – author of the Kazan railway station in Moscow.

Over the course of centuries of history, Russian art has changed, been enriched, improved, but has always remained original, expressing the national character of Russian culture.

Federal Agency for Education

State educational institution

Higher professional education

Kuzbass State Technical University

Department: National history, theory and history of culture

Discipline: Cultural Studies

Test № 1

"Russian culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries"

Option 16

Code 099-463

Completed by: Saigina M.V.

Kemerovo region, Topkinsky district,

Razdolye village, microdistrict 1, 12

Kemerovo, 2010

Task 4. Run tests

.Theorists and practitioners of symbolism include:

A) N. Gumilev

B) V. Bryusov

B) A. Blok

D) M. Vrubel

D) M. Tsvetaeva

Correct answer: B, C, D

The World of Art association included:

A) V. Mayakovsky

B) K. Somov

B) E. Lansere

D) L. Bakst

D) A. Benoit

E) V. Vasnetsov

Correct answer: B, C, D, D

.Match the work with the author:

A) “The King’s Walk” A) M. Nesterov

B) “The Rape of Europe” B) N. Roerich

B) “Overseas Guests” B) A. Benois

D) “Portrait of F. Chaliapin” D) V. Serov

D) “Vision to the youth Bartholomew D) B. Kustodiev

Correct answer: A-C, B-D, C-B, D-D, D-A

Task 1. Cover the problem: “Silver Age” of Russian literature”

The 19th century, the “golden age” of Russian literature, ended, and the 20th century began. This turning point went down in history under the beautiful name of the “Silver Age”. Turn of the century proved to be a favorable basis for this period. It gave birth to the great rise of Russian culture and became the beginning of its tragic fall. The beginning of the “Silver Age” is usually attributed to the 90s of the 19th century, when the poems of V. Bryusov, I. Annensky, K. Balmont and other wonderful poets appeared. The heyday of the “Silver Age” is considered to be 1915 - the time of its greatest rise and end.

Century did not last long - about twenty years, but it gave the world wonderful examples philosophical thought, demonstrated the life and melody of poetry, resurrected the ancient Russian icon, and gave impetus to new directions in painting, music, and theatrical art. silver Age became the time of formation of the Russian avant-garde.

The period of transitional cultures is always dramatic, and the relationship between the traditional, classical culture of the past - familiar, habitual, but no longer arousing special interest - and the emerging culture of a new type is always complex and contradictory. So new that its manifestations are incomprehensible and sometimes cause a negative reaction. This is natural: in the consciousness of society, changing types of cultures occurs quite painfully. The complexity of the situation is largely determined by changes in values, ideals and norms of spiritual culture. The old values ​​have fulfilled their function, played their roles, there are no new values ​​yet, they are just taking shape, and the historical stage remains empty.

In Russia, the difficulty was that public consciousness took shape under conditions that further dramatized the situation. Post-reform Russia was moving to new forms of economic relations. The Russian intelligentsia turned out to be almost helpless in the face of the new demands of political development: a multi-party system was inevitably developing, and actual practice was significantly ahead of the theoretical understanding of the new political culture. Russian culture is losing one of the fundamental principles of its existence - conciliarity - the feeling of the unity of a person with another person and a social group.

The socio-political situation of this time was characterized by a deep crisis of the existing government, a stormy, restless atmosphere in the country requiring decisive changes. Maybe that’s why the paths of art and politics crossed. Just as society was intensely searching for ways to a new social system, writers and poets sought to master new artistic forms, put forward bold experimental ideas. The realistic depiction of reality no longer satisfied artists, and in polemics with classics of the 19th century century, new literary movements were established: symbolism, acmeism, futurism. They offered different ways of comprehending existence, but each of them was distinguished by the extraordinary music of the verse, the original expression of the feelings and experiences of the lyrical hero, and a focus on the future.

In the history of Russian artistic culture, the beginning of the 20th century was fruitful, contradictory, and rapid in its development. At the turn of two centuries, Russia gives the world talents with special generosity. The work of L.N. entered a new period. Tolstoy. During these same years A.P. Chekhov becomes that great artist of words who has a huge influence on world literature. V. Korolenko, A. Serafimovich, N. Garin-Mikhailovsky are published, M. Gorky and L. Andreev surprise readers, I. Bunin announces himself with poetry and early prose, A. Kuprin and V. Veresaev begin to publish.

The perception of the world becomes freer, the artist’s personality is liberated.

The revolutionary explosion in Russia caused different assessments among the Russian artistic intelligentsia, so one cannot fail to recognize the influence of the revolution on Russian artistic culture. Social problems characterize the works of M. Gorky, Serafimovich, Korolenko.

Many Russian writers turned to drama. The theater attracts a huge audience; it is in the prime of its strength and possibilities.

It is very important that in the culture of the beginning of the century the philosophical and ethical problem was extremely acute: Which is better, truth or compassion? Comforting lies forms the core of G. Ibsen’s dramas, which enjoyed great success among the Russian public at the beginning of the century. This theme is heard in Gorky's drama At the bottom and forms a certain moral ideal of the time.

There have never been so many directions, associations, and associations in Russian art as at the beginning of the twentieth century. They put forward their creative theoretical programs, rejected their predecessors, fought with their contemporaries, and tried to predict the future. The contours of the new aesthetic ideal were too unclear for many, hence the tragic overtones in the creative quests of many artists.

One of the first literary movements was symbolism, which united such different poets as K. Balmont, V. Bryusov, A. Bely and others. Russian symbolism asserted itself persistently and, according to many critics, suddenly. In 1892 in the magazine Northern Herald An article by Dmitry Merezhkovsky was published On the causes of decline and the latest trends in modern Russian literature , and for a long time it was considered a manifesto of Russian symbolists. In realism, in this artistic materialism Merezhkovsky sees the reason for the decline of modern literature.

Theorists of symbolism believed that the artist should create new art with the help of symbolic images that will help express the moods, feelings and thoughts of the poet in a more subtle and general way. Moreover, truth and insight can appear in an artist not as a result of reflection, but at a moment of creative ecstasy, as if sent to him from above. Symbolist poets carried their dreams upward, asking global questions about how to save humanity, how to restore faith in God, achieve harmony, merging with the Soul of the World, Eternal Femininity, Beauty and Love.

V. Bryusov became the recognized meter of symbolism, embodying in his poems not only the formal innovative achievements of this movement, but also its ideas. Bryusov’s original creative manifesto was a small poem “To the Young Poet,” which was perceived by contemporaries as a program of symbolism:

A pale young man with a burning gaze,

Now I give you three covenants:

First accept: don’t live in the present,

Only the future is the domain of the poet.

Remember the second: do not sympathize with anyone,

Love yourself infinitely.

Keep the third: worship art,

Only to him, thoughtlessly, aimlessly

The Symbolists viewed life as the life of a Poet. Focus on oneself is characteristic of the work of the remarkable symbolist poet K. Balmont. He himself was the meaning, theme, image and purpose of his poems. I. Ehrenburg very accurately noticed this feature of his poetry: “Balmont noticed nothing in the world except his own soul.” Really, external world existed for him only so that he could express his poetic self.

The unique features of Russian symbolism manifested themselves most of all in the work of junior symbolists beginning of the twentieth century - A. Blok, A. Bely, Vyach. Ivanova. In their work, the material world is only a mask through which another world of the spirit shines through. Images of masks and masquerade constantly flash in the poetry and prose of the Symbolists.

During the years of the first Russian revolution, proletarian poetry emerged. This is mass poetry, close to the urban lower classes. The poems are clear and specific - a kind of response to real events. Proletarian poetry is permeated with revolutionary appeals. Poems were published in many magazines.

The mass reader's literary taste was developing, and the culture of this period had significant educational potential, and an entire system of self-education was developed.

The years of post-revolutionary reaction were characterized by sentiments of pessimism and renunciation.

Russian literature found a way out in the appearance neorealistic style , which had no clear external signs. Along with the reviving realism, new forms of romanticism arose. This was especially evident in poetry.

Just as the denial of realism gave rise to symbolism, a new literary movement - Acmeism - arose in the course of polemics with symbolism. He rejected the craving of symbolism for the unknown, the focus on the world of his own soul. Acmeism, according to Gumilev, should not strive for the unknowable, but turn to what can be understood, that is, to real reality, trying to embrace the diversity of the world as fully as possible. With this view, the Acmeist artist, unlike the Symbolists, becomes involved in the world rhythm, although he gives assessments to the phenomena depicted.

Acmeism also received a certain theoretical justification in the articles of Gorodetsky Some trends in modern Russian poetry , O. Mandelstam Morning of Acmeism , A. Akhmatova, M. Zenkevich, G. Ivanov. Joining a group Workshop of poets , they joined the magazine Apollo , contrasted with the mystical aspirations of symbolism towards unknowable element of nature , declared concrete sensory perception material world , returning the word to its basic, original meaning.

The Acmeists drew closer to late symbolism and focused on revealing eternal entities.

Despite all the virtuosity of depicting reality, social motives are extremely rare among Acmeist poets. Acmeism was characterized by extreme apoliticality, complete indifference to the pressing problems of our time.

This is probably why Acmeism had to give way to a new literary movement - futurism, which was distinguished by revolutionary rebellion, oppositional sentiment against bourgeois society, its morality, aesthetic tastes, and the entire system of social relations. The futurists destroyed the boundaries between art and life, between image and everyday life; they focused on the language of the streets, popular prints, advertising, urban folklore and posters.

It is not for nothing that the first collection of futurists, who considered themselves poets of the future, bore the obviously provocative title “A Slap in the Face of Public Taste.” Mayakovsky's early work was associated with futurism. In his youthful poems one can feel the desire of the aspiring poet to amaze the reader with the novelty and unusualness of his vision of the world. And Mayakovsky really succeeded.

There was a group of poets who gravitated towards futurism - V. Kamensky, the Burliuk brothers, A. Kruchenykh. Collections of futurists Judges cage (1910-1913), A slap in the face to public taste (1912), Dead moon (1913) were frankly unusual for the reading public.

Poets such as V. Mayakovsky, V. Khlebnikov, V. Kamensky, discerned in the union of poetry and struggle the special spiritual state of their time and tried to find new rhythms and images for the poetic embodiment of the seething revolutionary life.

The Silver Age is marked by women's lyrics. Zinaida Gippius, Marina Tsvetaeva, Anna Akhmatova... There were others, but hardly anyone can compare with those named. The poets of the Silver Age created a grandiose poetic corpus. Great talent is always rare, genius even more so. The twentieth century did not give its Pushkin, but the art of Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century created a kind of book - “that book was written with the stars, the Milky Way is one of its leaves.” D. Merezhkovsky, A. Blok, M. Voloshin, I. Annensky, V. Bryusov, K. Balmont, B. Pasternak, S. Gorodetsky, S. Yesenin... A. Scriabin, S. Rachmaninov, M. Vrubel, V. Kandinsky, M. Chagall, Falk, I. Mashkov, N. Roerich - a gallery of the greatest names and personalities. The fate of most of the geniuses of the Silver Age was tragic. But all of them, through the vicissitudes of revolutions, wars, through emigration, through fire and blood, through mistakes and delusions, carried the feeling of the Motherland, the unshakable belief that “Russia will be great.” All of them created a real miracle at the beginning of the 20th century - the “Silver Age” of Russian poetry. The diversity of creative individuals makes it especially fascinating, albeit difficult, to get to know and study this rich and diverse period.

Task 2. Briefly answer the questions

what are the main achievements of Russian science of the border era?

The turn of two centuries became a period of intensive development of various social sciences. It was at this time that the work of the major sociologist P.A. Sorokin began, whose works subsequently became world famous. P.A. Sorokin, who emigrated from the USSR in 1922, played a huge role in the formation and development of American sociology. The works of M. I. Tugan-Baranovsky and P. B. Struve made a great contribution to the study of economic, historical and economic problems.

Russian historical science has achieved great success. The past of Russia was actively studied.

Philologist and historian A.A. Shakhmatov created a number of classic works on Russian chronicles. Significant successes in the development of domestic historiography were achieved by A.E. Presnyakov, S.F. Platonov, S.V. Bakhrushin, Yu.V. Gauthier, A.S. Lappo-Danilevsky.

Not only the past of the Fatherland was in the field of view of Russian historians. The problems of the Western European Middle Ages and modern times were studied by N.I. Kareev, P.G. Vinogradov, E.V. Tarle, D.M. Petrushevsky.

At the turn of the two centuries, jurisprudence, philological sciences, etc. developed successfully.

Name the main artistic movements of the Silver Age.

Symbolism was the product of a deep crisis that gripped European culture at the end of the 19th century. The crisis manifested itself in a negative assessment of progressive social ideas, in a revision of moral values, in a loss of faith in the power of the scientific subconscious, and in a passion for idealistic philosophy. Symbolists strive to create a complex, associative metaphor, abstract and irrational.

Acmeism (from the Greek akme - the highest degree of something, blossoming, maturity, peak, edge) is one of the modernist movements in Russian poetry of the 1910s, formed as a reaction to the extremes of symbolism. The Acmeists proclaimed materiality, objectivity of themes and images, precision of words (from the standpoint of “art for art’s sake”).

Futurism (from Latin futurum - future) is the general name of the artistic avant-garde movements of the 1910s and early 1920s. XX century

What is the role of patrons in the development of Russian culture?

Patronage is material support for certain cultural figures. It can serve the achievement of various goals - economic, political, ideological.

Patronage played an important role in the development of culture.

S.I. Mamontov (1841 - 1918) created art club, which became one of the centers of development of Russian culture. The very flower of the Russian intelligentsia gathered here: I. E. Repin, V. M. Vasnetsov, M. A. Vrubel, K. A. Korovin, V. A. Serov, V. D. Polenov. In Moscow in 1885, Mamontov founded a private Russian opera and became its director.

Moscow merchant and industrialist P. M. Tretyakov (1838 - 1898). Since 1856, he systematically bought paintings by Russian artists and created a rich art gallery of Russian painting. In 1893, Tretyakov donated his collection to Moscow. The Tretyakov Gallery is the largest museum of Russian painting.

S. T. Morozov (1862 - 1905) was a patron of the Moscow Art Theater. He allocated money for the construction of the building and provided financial support to the theater. The Morozovs are also known for creating a museum of Western art and creating a huge collection of ancient Russian engravings and portraits.

The Shchukins family of textile manufacturers created a museum of modern Western painting, which presents paintings by P. Gauguin, A. Matisse, P. Picasso; a large museum of Russian antiquity, and also founded the Psychological Institute at her own expense.

A. A. Bakhrushin (1865 - 1929) based on his collection created a private literary and theatrical museum (now the Bakhrushin Theater Museum).

The Ryabushinskys made a great contribution to the revival of Russian church architecture and collected a rich collection of Russian icon painting. They financed the art magazine "Golden Fleece", events in support of Russian aviation, and expeditions to explore Kamchatka. After the revolution, the family ended up in exile.

The list of names of Russian philanthropists is very wide, so it is impossible to name all the Russian merchants, industrialists, and nobles who spent personal funds on science, art, and charity without thinking about profit. It should be remembered that high art has always developed due to the support of the state and patronage.

Task 3. Explain the terms: Suprematism, Acmeism, Constructivism, Symbolism, Futurism, Decadence

Russian literature decadence acmeism

Suprematism (from Latin Supremus - highest) is a movement in avant-garde art, founded in the 1st half of the 1910s. K. S. Malevich. Being a type of abstract art, Suprematism was expressed in combinations of multi-colored planes of the simplest geometric shapes devoid of pictorial meaning (in the geometric forms of a straight line, square, circle and rectangle). The combination of multi-colored and different-sized geometric shapes forms permeated internal movement balanced asymmetrical suprematist compositions. At the initial stage, this term, going back to the Latin root suprem, meant dominance, superiority of color over all other properties of painting. In non-objective canvases, paint, according to K. S. Malevich, was for the first time freed from an auxiliary role, from serving other purposes - Suprematist paintings became the first step of “pure creativity,” that is, an act that equalized the creative power of man and Nature (God).

Acmeism (from the Greek - “the highest degree, peak, flowering, blooming time”) is a literary movement that opposes symbolism and arose at the beginning of the 20th century in Russia. Acmeists proclaimed the materiality, objectivity of themes and images. It is based on the simplicity and clarity of poetic language, the rigor of poetic composition, the desire to create accurate, visible images and directly name objects. The formation of Acmeism is closely connected with the activities of the “Workshop of Poets”, the central figure of which was the organizer of Acmeism N. S. Gumilyov.

Constructivism is a Soviet avant-garde method (style, direction) in fine arts, architecture, photography and decorative arts, which developed in 1920 - early. 1930. Characterized by rigor, geometricism, laconic forms and monolithic appearance.

Symbolism (from the French symbolisme, from the Greek symbolon - sign, identifying mark) is an aesthetic movement that formed in France in 1880-1890 and became widespread in literature, painting, music, architecture and theater of many European countries at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. Symbolism was of great importance in Russian art of the same period, which in art history acquired the definition of “Silver Age”. The symbolists radically changed not only various types of art, but also the very attitude towards it. Their experimental nature, desire for innovation, cosmopolitanism and wide range of influences have become a model for most modern art movements.

Futurism (from Latin futurum - future) is the general name of the artistic avant-garde movements of the 1910s and early 1920s. XX century, primarily in Italy and Russia. Futurism denied traditional culture (especially its moral and artistic values), cultivated urbanism (the aesthetics of the machine industry), and destroyed natural language in poetry. Futurists preached the destruction of the forms and conventions of art in order to merge it with the accelerated life process of the 20th century. They are characterized by a reverence for action, movement, speed, strength and aggression; exaltation of oneself and contempt for the weak; the priority of force, the rapture of war and destruction were asserted. In this regard, futurism in its ideology was very close to both right-wing and left-wing radicals: anarchists, fascists, communists, focused on the revolutionary overthrow of the past.

Decadence (from the late Latin decadentia - decline) is the general name for the crisis phenomena of European culture of the 2nd half of the 19th - early 20th centuries, marked by moods of hopelessness, rejection of life, and tendencies of individualism. A complex and contradictory phenomenon, its source is a crisis of public consciousness, the confusion of many artists in the face of the sharp social antagonisms of reality. Decadent artists considered art’s refusal of political and civil themes to be a manifestation and an indispensable condition for creative freedom. Constant themes are the motives of non-existence and death, longing for spiritual values ​​and ideals.

List of used literature

1. Georgieva T.S. Russian culture: history and modernity: Textbook. allowance. - M., 1999.

Culturology. Domestic culture: Textbook. allowance. - Kemerovo, 2003.

Polikarpov V.S. Lectures on cultural studies. - M.: "Gardarika", "Expert Bureau", 1997.-344 p.

Rapatskaya L.A. Art of the "Silver Age". - M., 1996.

Sarabyanov D.V. History of Russian art of the late XIX - early XX centuries. - M., 1993.

Reader on cultural studies: Textbook. allowance / Compiled by: Laletin D. A., Parkhomenko I. T., Radugin A. A. Responsible. editor Radugin A. A. - M.: Center, 1998. - 592 p.

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Essay

in cultural studies

on this topic

"Russian culture of the late 19th century"

early 20th century"

Grishin Sergey

1. Introduction.

2. Painting of the late XIX – early XX centuries: difficulties and contradictions.

4. Sculpture: search for a new hero.

5. Symbolism in literature at the turn of the century.

6. Other trends in literature.

7.Music: changing priorities.

8. The rise of theaters.

9.Conclusion

1. Introduction.

The end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries was marked by a deep crisis that gripped the entire European culture, resulting from disappointment in previous ideals and a feeling of the approaching death of the existing socio-political system.

But this same crisis gave birth to a great era - the era of the Russian cultural renaissance at the beginning of the century - one of the most sophisticated eras in the history of Russian culture. This was the era of the creative rise of poetry and philosophy after a period of decline. At the same time, it was an era of the emergence of new souls, new sensitivity. Souls opened up to all kinds of mystical trends, both positive and negative. Never before have all kinds of deception and confusion been so strong among us. At the same time, Russian souls were overcome by premonitions of impending catastrophes. Poets saw not only the coming dawns, but something terrible approaching Russia and the world... Religious philosophers were imbued with apocalyptic sentiments. The prophecies about the approaching end of the world, perhaps, really did not mean the approaching end of the world, but the approaching end of old, imperial Russia. Our cultural renaissance took place in the pre-revolutionary era, in the atmosphere of an impending huge war and a huge revolution. There was nothing sustainable anymore. Historical bodies have melted. Not only Russia, but the whole world was passing into a liquid state... During these years, many gifts were sent to Russia. This was the era of the awakening in Russia of independent philosophical thought, the flourishing of poetry and the sharpening of aesthetic sensitivity, religious anxiety and quest, interest in mysticism and the occult. New souls appeared, new sources of creative life were discovered, new dawns were seen, the feelings of decline and death were combined with the feeling of sunrise and with hope for the transformation of life.”

During the era of cultural renaissance, there was a kind of “explosion” in all areas of culture: not only in poetry, but also in music; not only in the fine arts, but also in the theater... Russia of that time gave the world a huge number of new names, ideas, masterpieces. Magazines were published, various circles and societies were created, debates and discussions were organized, new trends arose in all areas of culture.

2. Painting the end XIX – started XX centuries: difficulties and contradictions.

The end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th century is an important period in the development of Russian art. It coincides with that stage of the liberation movement in Russia, which V.I. Lenin called proletarian. It was a time of fierce class battles, three revolutions - 1905-1907, the February bourgeois-democratic and Great October Socialist Revolution, the time of the collapse of the old world. The surrounding life and the events of this extraordinary time determined the fate of art: it underwent many difficulties and contradictions in its development. The work of M. Gorky opened new paths for the art of the future, the socialist world. His novel “Mother,” written in 1906, became an example of the talented embodiment in artistic creativity of the principles of party membership and nationality, which were first clearly defined by V.I. Lenin in the article “Party organization and party literature” (1905).

What was the general picture of the development of Russian art during this period? The leading masters of realism - I.E. Repin, V.I. Surikov, V.M. Vasnetsov, V.E. Makovsky - also worked fruitfully.

In the 1890s, their traditions were developed in a number of works younger generation Itinerant artists, for example, Abram Efimovich Arkhipov (1862-1930), whose work is also connected with the life of the people, with the life of the peasants. His paintings are truthful and simple, the early ones are lyrical (“Along the Oka River”, 1890; “Reverse”, 1896), while the later, brightly picturesque ones have an exuberant cheerfulness (“Girl with a Jug”, 1927; all three in the Tretyakov Gallery). IN THE 1890s, Arkhipov painted the painting “Washerwomen,” which tells about the grueling work of women, serving as a vivid incriminating document against the autocracy (GRM).

The younger generation of Itinerants also includes Sergei Alekseevich Korovin (1858-1908) and Nikolai Alekseevich Kasatkin (1859-1930). Korovin worked for ten years on his central painting “On the World” (1893, Tretyakov Gallery). He reflected in it the complex processes of stratification of the peasantry in the capitalized village of his day. Kasatkin was also able to reveal the most important aspects of Russian life in his work. He raised a completely new topic related to strengthening the role of the proletariat. In the miners depicted in his famous painting “Coal Miners. Shift” (1895, Tretyakov Gallery), one can discern the powerful force that in the near future will destroy the rotten system of Tsarist Russia and build a new, socialist society.

But another trend emerged in the art of the 1890s. Many artists now sought to find in life, first of all, its poetic sides, so they even included landscapes in genre paintings. They often turned to ancient Russian history. These trends in art can be clearly seen in the works of such artists as A.P. Ryabushkin, B.M. Kustodiev and M.V. Nesterov.

The favorite genre of Andrei Petrovich Ryabushkin (1861-1904) was the historical genre, but he also painted pictures from contemporary peasant life. However, the artist was attracted only to certain aspects folk life: rituals, holidays. In them he saw a manifestation of the original Russian, national character (“Moskovskaya Street of the 17th century”, 1896, State Russian Museum). Most of the characters not only for genre, but also for historical paintings were written by Ryabushkin from peasants - the artist spent almost his entire life in the village. Ryabushkin introduced some characteristic features of ancient Russian painting into his historical paintings, as if thereby emphasizing the historical authenticity of the images (“Wedding Train in Moscow (XVII century)”, 1901, Tretyakov Gallery).

Another major artist of this time, Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878-1927), depicts fairs with multi-colored spoons and piles of colorful goods, Russian Maslenitsa with riding in troikas, scenes from merchant life.

IN early work Mikhail Vasilyevich Nesterov most fully revealed the lyrical sides of his talent. Landscape always played a big role in his paintings: the artist sought to find joy in the silence of eternally beautiful nature. He loved to depict thin-trunked birch trees, fragile stems of grass and meadow flowers. His heroes are thin youths - inhabitants of monasteries, or kind old men who find peace and tranquility in nature. Paintings dedicated to the fate of a Russian woman (“On the Mountains,” 1896, Museum of Russian Art, Kyiv; “Great tonsure,” 1897-1898, State Russian Museum) are filled with deep sympathy.

The work of landscape and animal painter Alexei Stepanovich Stepanov (1858-1923) dates back to this time. The artist sincerely loved animals and perfectly knew not only the appearance, but also the character of each animal, its skills and habits, as well as specific features various types hunting. The artist’s best paintings are dedicated to Russian nature, imbued with lyricism and poetry - “Cranes are Flying” (1891), “Moose” (1889; both in the State Tretyakov Gallery), “Wolves” (1910, private collection, Moscow).

Deep lyric poetry The art of Viktor Elpidiforovich Borisov-Musatov (1870-1905) is also permeated. His images of thoughtful women - inhabitants of old manor parks - and all his harmonious, music-like paintings (“Reservoir”, 1902, Tretyakov Gallery) are beautiful and poetic.

In the 80-90s of the 19th century, the work of outstanding Russian artists Konstantin Alekseevich Korovin (1861-1939), Valentin Aleksandrovich Serov and Mikhail Aleksandrovich Vrubel was formed. Their art most fully reflected the artistic achievements of the era.

K.A. Korovin’s talent was equally brightly revealed both in easel painting, primarily in landscape, and in theatrical decorative art. The charm of Korovin’s art lies in its warmth, sunshine, in the master’s ability to directly and vividly convey his artistic impressions, in the generosity of his palette, in the color richness of his painting (“At the Balcony,” 1888-1889; “In Winter,” 1894-; both in GTG).

At the very end of the 1890s, a new artistic society, “World of Art,” was formed in Russia, headed by A.N. Benois and S.P. Diaghilev, which had a great influence on the artistic life of the country. Its main core is the artists K.A. Somov, L.S. Baket, M.V. Dobuzhinsky, E.E. Lansere, A.P. Ostroumova-Lebedeva. The activities of this group were very diverse. The artists carried out active creative work, published the art magazine “World of Art,” and organized interesting art exhibitions with the participation of many outstanding masters. Miriskusniki, as the artists of the “World of Art” were called, sought to introduce their viewers and readers to the achievements of national and world art. Their activities contributed to the widespread dissemination of artistic culture in Russian society. But at the same time, it also had its disadvantages. World of Art students looked for only beauty in life and saw the fulfillment of the artist’s ideals only in the eternal charm of art. Their work was devoid of the fighting spirit and social analysis characteristic of the Wanderers, under whose banner the most progressive and most revolutionary artists marched.

Alexander Nikolaevich Benois (1870-1960) is rightfully considered the ideologist of the “World of Art”. He was a widely educated man and had great knowledge in the field of art. He was mainly involved in graphics and worked a lot for the theater. Like his comrades, Benoit developed themes from past eras in his work. He was the poet of Versailles, his creative imagination caught fire when he again and again visited the parks and palaces of the St. Petersburg suburbs. In his historical compositions, populated by small, seemingly inanimate figures of people, he carefully and lovingly reproduced monuments of art and individual parts everyday life (“Parade under Peter1”, 1907, Russian Russian Museum).

A prominent representative of the “World of Art” was Konstantin Andreevich Somov (1869-1939). He became widely known as a master of romantic landscapes and gallant scenes. His usual heroes are ladies in tall powdered wigs and fluffy crinolines, as if coming from ancient times, and sophisticated, languid gentlemen in satin camisoles. Somov had an excellent command of drawing. This was especially true in his portraits. The artist created a gallery of portraits of representatives of the artistic intelligentsia, including poets A.A. Blok and M.A. Kuzmin (1907, 1909; both in the Tretyakov Gallery).

In the artistic life of Russia at the beginning of the century, the artistic group “Union of Russian Artists” also played a significant role. It included artists K.A. Korovin, A.E. Arkhipov, S.A. Vinogradov, S.Yu. Zhukovsky, L.V. Turzhansky, K.F. Yuon and others. The main genre in the work of these artists was landscape. They were the successors of landscape painting of the second half of the 19th century.

3.Architecture: modernism and neoclassicism.

Architecture as an art form in to the greatest extent depends on socio-economic relations. Therefore, in Russia, under the conditions of the monopolistic development of capitalism, it became a concentration of acute contradictions, which led to the spontaneous development of cities, which damaged urban planning and turned large cities into monsters of civilization.

Tall buildings turned courtyards into poorly lit and ventilated wells. Greenery was being pushed out of the city. The disproportion between the scale of new buildings and old buildings has acquired a grimace-like character. At the same time, industrial architectural structures appeared - factories, factories, train stations, arcades, banks, cinemas. For their construction, the latest planning and Constructive decisions, reinforced concrete and metal structures were actively used, making it possible to create rooms in which large masses of people simultaneously reside.

What about styles at this time?! Against a retrospective-electric background, new trends emerged - modernism and neoclassicism. The first manifestations of Art Nouveau date back to the last decade of the 19th century, neoclassicism was formed in the 1900s.

Art Nouveau in Russia is not fundamentally different from Western art. However, there was a clear tendency to mix modernity with historical styles: Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, as well as ancient Russian architectural forms (Yaroslavsky railway station in Moscow). Variations of Scandinavian Art Nouveau were common in St. Petersburg.

In Moscow, the main representative of the Art Nouveau style was the architect Fyodor Osipovich Shekhtel (1859-1926); he built the Moscow Art Theater building and the Ryabushinsky mansion (1900-1902) - works most typical of pure Art Nouveau. His Yaroslavl Station is an example of stylistically mixed architecture. In the Ryabushinsky mansion, the architect departs from traditional predetermined construction schemes and uses the principle of free asymmetry. Each of the facades is configured differently. The building is maintained in the free development of volumes, and with its protrusions it resembles a plant taking root, this corresponds to the principle of Art Nouveau - to give an architectural structure an organic form. On the other hand, the mansion is quite monolithic and meets the principle of a bourgeois home: “My home is my fortress.”

The diverse facades are united by a wide mosaic frieze with a stylized image of irises ( floral ornament characteristic of the Art Nouveau style). Stained glass windows are characteristic of Art Nouveau. They and the design of the building are dominated by whimsical types of lines. These motifs reach their climax in the interior of the building. Furniture and decorative decoration made according to Shekhtel's designs. The alternation of dark and light spaces, the abundance of materials that give a bizarre play of light reflection (marble, glass, polished wood), the colored light of stained glass windows, the asymmetrical arrangement of doorways that change the direction of the light flow - all this transforms reality into a romantic world.

As Shekhtel's style developed, rationalistic tendencies appeared. The trading house of the Moscow Merchant Society in Malo Cherkassky Lane (1909), the building of the printing house “Morning of Russia” (1907) can be called pre-constructivist. The main effect is the glazed surfaces of the huge windows, rounded corners, which give the building plasticity.

The most significant masters of Art Nouveau in St. Petersburg were F.I. Lidval (1870-1945, Astoria Hotel. Azov-Don Bank) I.N. Lyalevich (building of the Mertex company on Nevsky Prospekt).

Neoclassicism was a purely Russian phenomenon and was most widespread in St. Petersburg in 1910. This direction set as its goal to revive the traditions of Russian classicism of Kazakov, Voronikhin, Zakharov, Rossi, Stasov, Gilardi of the second half of the 18th and the first third of the 19th century. The leaders of neoclassicism were I.A. Fomin (1872-1936; A.A. Polovtsev’s mansion on Kamenny Island in St. Petersburg), V. Shuko (residential buildings), A. Tamanyan, I. Zholtovsky (G.A. Tarasov’s mansion in Moscow) . They created many outstanding structures, characterized by harmonious compositions and exquisite details. The work of Alexander Viktorovich Shchusev (1873-1949) is closely associated with neoclassicism. But he turned to the heritage of national Russian architecture of the 11th-17th centuries (sometimes this style is called the neo-Russian style). Shchusev built the Marfa-Mariinskaya Convent and the Kazansky Station in Moscow. For all its merits, neoclassicism was a special variety in the highest form of retrospectivism.

Despite the quality of the architectural structures of this time, it should be noted that Russian architecture and interior design could not free themselves from the main vice of eclecticism; a special new path of development was not found.

The named directions received greater or lesser development after the October Revolution.

4. Sculpture: search for a new hero.

The paths of development of Russian sculpture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were largely determined by its connections with the art of the Wanderers. This is precisely what explains its democracy and content.

Sculptors are actively involved in the search for a new, modern hero. Materials are becoming more diverse: not only marble and bronze are used, as before, but also stone, wood, majolica, even clay. Attempts are being made to introduce color into sculpture. At this time, a brilliant galaxy of sculptors was working - P.P. Trubetskoy, A.S. Golubkina, S.T. Konenkov, A.T. Matveev.

The art of Anna Semyonovna Golubkina (1864-1927) bears the stamp of her time. It is emphatically spiritual and always deeply and consistently democratic. Golubkina is a convinced revolutionary. Her sculptures “Slave” (1905, Tretyakov Gallery), “Walking” (1903, State Russian Museum), portrait of Karl Marx (1905, Tretyakov Gallery) are a natural response to the advanced ideas of our time. Golubkina is a great master of psychological sculptural portraiture. And here she remains true to herself, working with the same creative enthusiasm on portraits of both the Great Writer (“Lev Tolstoy”, 1927, State Russian Museum) and a simple woman (“Marya”, 1905. Tretyakov Gallery).

The sculptural work of Sergei Timofeevich Konenkov (1874-1971) is particularly rich and diverse in stylistic and genre forms.

His work “Samson Breaking the Bonds” (1902) is inspired by the titanic images of Michelangelo. “The militant worker of 1905, Ivan Churkin” (1906) is the personification of an indestructible will, tempered in the fire of class battles.

After a trip to Greece in 1912, like V. Serov, he became interested in ancient archaic. Images of pagan ancient Greek mythology are intertwined with images of ancient Slavic mythology. Abramtsevo’s ideas of folklore were also embodied in such works as “Velikosil”, “Stribog”, “Starichek” and others. “The Beggar Brethren” (1917) was perceived as Russia becoming a thing of the past. The figures carved from wood of two poor, miserable wanderers, hunched over, gnarled, wrapped in rags, are both realistic and fantastic.

The traditions of classical sculpture were revived by Ivan Timofeevich Matveev (1878-1960), a student of Trubetskoy at the Moscow School. He developed a minimum of basic plastic themes in the motifs of the nude figure. The plastic principles of Matveevsky sculpture are most fully revealed in the images of young men and boys (“Sitting Boy”, 1909, “Sleeping Boys”, 1907, “Young Man”, 1911, and a number of statues intended for one of the park ensembles in Crimea). Matveev’s antique light curves of the boys’ figures are combined with a specific precision of poses and movements, reminiscent of the paintings of Borisov-Musatov. Matveev in his works embodied the modern thirst for harmony in modern artistic forms.

5. Symbolism in literature at the turn of the century.

“SYMBOLISM” is a movement in European and Russian art that emerged at the turn of the 20th century, focused primarily on artistic expression through SYMBOL“things-in-themselves” and ideas that are beyond sensory perception. Striving to break through visible reality to “hidden realities”, the supra-temporal ideal essence of the world, its “imperishable” Beauty, the symbolists expressed a longing for spiritual freedom, a tragic premonition of world socio-historical changes, and trust in age-old cultural values ​​as a unifying principle.

The culture of Russian symbolism, as well as the very style of thinking of the poets and writers who formed this direction, arose and developed at the intersection and mutual complementation of outwardly opposing, but in fact firmly connected and explaining one another lines of philosophical and aesthetic attitude to reality. It was a feeling of unprecedented novelty of everything that the turn of the century brought with it, accompanied by a feeling of trouble and instability.

At first, symbolic poetry was formed as romantic and individualistic poetry, separating itself from the polyphony of the “street”, withdrawing into the world of personal experiences and impressions.

Those truths and criteria that were discovered and formulated in XIX century, now they were no longer satisfied. A new concept was required that would correspond to the new times. We must pay tribute to the symbolists - they did not join any of the stereotypes created in the 19th century. Nekrasov was dear to them, like Pushkin, Fet - like Nekrasov. And the point here is not the illegibility and omnivorousness of the symbolists. The point is breadth of views, and most importantly, the understanding that every major personality in art has the right to his own view of the world and art. Whatever the views of their creator, the meaning of the works of art themselves does not lose anything. The main thing that the artists of the symbolic movement could not accept was complacency and tranquility, the absence of awe and burning.

Such an attitude towards the artist and his creations was also associated with the understanding that now, at this moment, at the end of the 90s of the 19th century, we are entering a new - alarming and unsettled world. The artist must be imbued with both this novelty and this disorder, imbue his creativity with them, and ultimately sacrifice himself to time, to events that are not yet visible, but which are as inevitable as the movement of time.

“Symbolism itself has never been a school of art,” wrote A. Bely, “but it was a tendency towards a new worldview, refracting art in its own way... And we considered new forms of art not as a change in forms alone, but as a distinct sign changes in the internal perception of the world."

In 1900, K. Balmont gave a lecture in Paris, which he gave a demonstrative title: “Elementary words about symbolic poetry.” Balmont believes that the empty space has already been filled - a new direction has emerged: symbolic poetry, which is a sign of the times. From now on there is no need to talk about any “spirit of desolation.” In his report, Balmont tried to describe the state of modern poetry as broadly as possible. He speaks of realism and symbolism as completely equal manners of worldview. Equal, but different in essence. These, he says, are two “different systems of artistic perception.” “Realists are caught, like a surf, by concrete life, behind which they see nothing; symbolists, detached from real reality, see in it only their dream, they look at life from the window.” This is how the path of the symbolist artist is outlined: “from immediate images, beautiful in their independent existence, to the spiritual ideality hidden in them, giving them double strength.”

This view of art required a decisive restructuring of all artistic thinking. It was now based not on real correspondences of phenomena, but on associative correspondences, and the objective significance of associations was by no means considered obligatory. A. Bely wrote: “A characteristic feature of symbolism in art is the desire to use the image of reality as a means of conveying the experienced content of consciousness. The dependence of the images of visibility on the conditions of the perceiving consciousness shifts the center of gravity in art from the image to the method of its perception... An image, as a model of the experienced content of consciousness, is a symbol. The method of symbolizing experiences with images is symbolism.”

Thus, poetic allegory comes to the fore as the main technique of creativity, when a word, without losing its usual meaning, acquires additional potential, multi-meaning meanings that reveal its true “essence” of meaning.

The transformation of an artistic image into a “model of the experienced content of consciousness,” that is, into a symbol, required a transfer of the reader’s attention from what was expressed to what was implied. The artistic image turned out to be at the same time an image of allegory.

The very appeal to implied meanings and the imaginary world, which provided a foothold in the search for ideal means of expression, had a certain attractive force. It was this that later served as the basis for the rapprochement between the symbolist poets and Vl. Solovyov, who seemed to some of them to be a seeker of new ways of spiritual transformation of life. Anticipating the onset of events of historical significance, feeling the beating of the hidden forces of history and not being able to give them an interpretation, the poets of symbolism found themselves at the mercy of mystical-eschatological theories. It was then that their meeting with Vl. Solovyov took place.

Of course, symbolism was based on the experience of decadent art of the 80s, but it was a qualitatively different phenomenon. And it did not coincide with decadence in everything.

Having emerged in the 90s under the sign of the search for new means of poetic depiction, symbolism at the beginning of the new century found its basis in vague expectations of approaching historical changes. The acquisition of this soil served as the basis for its further existence and development, but in a different direction. The poetry of symbolism remained fundamentally and emphatically individualistic in its content, but it received a problematic that was now based on the perception of a specific era. Based on anxious anticipation, there is now an intensification of the perception of reality, which entered the consciousness and creativity of poets in the form of certain mysterious and alarming “signs of the times.” Such a “sign” could be any phenomenon, any historical or purely everyday fact (“signs” of nature - dawns and sunsets; various kinds of meetings that were given a mystical meaning; “signs” of a mental state - doubles; “signs” of history - Scythians, Huns , Mongols, general destruction; “signs” of the Bible that played a particularly important role - Christ, a new rebirth, white color as a symbol of the purifying nature of future changes, etc.). The cultural heritage of the past was also mastered. From it, facts were selected that could have a “prophetic” character. These facts were widely used in both written and oral presentations.

By the nature of its internal connections, the poetry of symbolism developed at that time in the direction of an increasingly deeper transformation of immediate life impressions, their mysterious comprehension, the purpose of which was not to establish real connections and dependencies, but to comprehend the “hidden” meaning of things. This feature underlay the creative method of the poets of symbolism, their poetics, if we take these categories in conditional and general terms for the entire movement.

The 1900s were a time of heyday, renewal and deepening of symbolist lyrics. No other movement in poetry during these years could compete with symbolism, either in the number of collections published or in its influence on the reading public.

Symbolism was a heterogeneous phenomenon, uniting in its ranks poets holding the most contradictory views. Some of them very soon realized the futility of poetic subjectivism, while others took time. Some of them had a passion for the secret “esoteric” language, others avoided it. The school of Russian Symbolists was, in essence, a rather motley association, especially since, as a rule, it included highly gifted people endowed with a bright individuality.

Briefly about those people who stood at the origins of symbolism, and about those poets in whose work this direction is most clearly expressed.

Some of the symbolists, such as Nikolai Minsky, Dmitry Merezhkovsky, began their creative career as representatives of civil poetry, and then began to focus on the ideas of “god-building” and the “religious community.” After 1884, N. Minsky became disillusioned with populist ideology and became a theorist and practitioner of decadent poetry, a preacher of the ideas of Nietzsche and individualism. During the revolution of 1905, civic motives again appeared in Minsky's poems. In 1905, N. Minsky published the newspaper “New Life”, which became the legal organ of the Bolsheviks. D. Merezhkovsky’s work “On the causes of decline and new trends in modern Russian literature” (1893) was an aesthetic declaration of Russian decadence. In his novels and plays, written on historical material and developing the concept of neo-Christianity, Merezhkovsky tried to comprehend world history as the eternal struggle between the “religion of the spirit” and the “religion of the flesh.” Merezhkovsky is the author of the study “L. Tolstoy and Dostoevsky” (1901-02), which aroused great interest among his contemporaries.

Others - for example, Valery Bryusov, Konstantin Balmont (they were also sometimes called “senior symbolists”) - considered symbolism as a new stage in the progressive development of art, replacing realism, and largely proceeded from the concept of “art for art’s sake.” The poetry of V. Bryusov is characterized by historical and cultural issues, rationalism, completeness of images, and declamatory structure. In the poems of K. Balmont - the cult of the Self, the play of fleetingness, the opposition to the “Iron Age” of the pristinely holistic “solar” principle; musicality.

And finally, the third - the so-called “younger” symbolists (Alexander Blok, Andrei Bely, Vyacheslav Ivanov) - were adherents of a philosophical and religious understanding of the world in the spirit of the teachings of the philosopher Vl. Solovyov. If in A. Blok’s first poetry collection “Poems about a Beautiful Lady” (1903) there are often ecstatic songs that the poet addressed to his Beautiful Lady, then already in the collection “Unexpected Joy” (1907) Blok clearly moves towards realism, declaring in the preface to the collection: “Unexpected joy” is my image of the coming world.” A. Bely's early poetry is characterized by mystical motifs, a grotesque perception of reality (“symphonies”), and formal experimentation. Vyach.Ivanov's poetry is focused on cultural and philosophical issues of antiquity and the Middle Ages; the concept of creativity is religious and aesthetic.

Symbolists constantly argued with each other, trying to prove the correctness of their judgments about this literary movement. Thus, V. Bryusov considered it as a means of creating a fundamentally new art; K. Balmont saw in it a path to comprehend the hidden, unsolved depths of the human soul; Vyach. Ivanov believed that symbolism would help bridge the gap between the artist and the people, and A. Bely was convinced that this was the basis on which new art would be created, capable of transforming the human personality.

Alexander Blok rightfully occupies one of the leading places in Russian literature. Blok is a world-class lyricist. His contribution to Russian poetry is unusually rich. A lyrical image of Russia, a passionate confession about the bright and tragic love, the majestic rhythms of Italian poetry, the piercingly outlined face of St. Petersburg, the “tear-stained beauty” of villages - Blok included all this with the breadth and penetration of genius in his work.

Blok’s first book, “Poems about a Beautiful Lady,” was published in 1904. Blok’s lyrics of that time are painted in prayerful and mystical tones: it contrasts the real world with what is comprehended only in secret signs and revelations of a ghostly, “otherworldly” world. The poet was strongly influenced by Vl. Solovyov’s teachings about the “end of the world” and the “world soul”. In Russian poetry, Blok took his place as a prominent representative of symbolism, although his further work overwhelmed all symbolic frameworks and canons.

In his second collection of poems, “Unexpected Joy” (1906), the poet discovered new paths for himself that were only outlined in his first book.

Andrei Bely sought to penetrate the reason for the sharp change in the poet’s muse, who seemed to have just “in elusive and tender lines” sung “the approach of the eternally feminine beginning of life.” He saw it in Blok’s closeness to nature, to the earth: “Unexpected joy” more deeply expresses the essence of A. Blok... The second collection of Blok’s poems is more interesting, more magnificent than the first. How amazingly the subtlest demonism is combined here with the simple sadness of poor Russian nature, always the same, always sobbing in showers, always frightening us through tears with the grin of the ravines... Russian nature is terrible, indescribable. And Blok understands her like no one else..."

The third collection, “Earth in the Snow” (1908), was received with hostility by critics. Critics did not want or were unable to understand the logic of Blok’s new book.

The fourth collection, “Night Hours,” was published in 1911, in a very modest edition. By the time of its publication, Blok was increasingly overcome by a feeling of alienation from literature, and until 1916 he did not publish a single book of poetry.

A difficult and confusing relationship that lasted almost two decades developed between A. Blok and A. Bely.

Bely was greatly impressed by Blok’s first poems: “To understand the impressions of these poems, one must clearly imagine that time: for us, who heeded the signs of the dawn shining upon us, the whole air sounded like the lines of A.A.; and it seemed that Blok wrote only what the air was uttering to his consciousness; He really put the rose-gold and tense atmosphere of the era under siege with words.” Bely helped publish Blok's first book (bypassing Moscow censorship). In turn, Blok supported Bely. Thus, he played a decisive role in the birth of Bely’s main novel, “Petersburg,” and publicly praised both “Petersburg” and “Silver Dove.”

Along with this, their relationship and correspondence reached the point of hostility; Constant reproaches and accusations, hostility, sarcastic jabs, and the imposition of discussions poisoned the lives of both.

However, despite all the complexity and complexity of creative and personal relationships, both poets continued to respect, love and appreciate each other’s creativity and personality, which once again confirmed Bely’s speech on Blok’s death.

After the revolutionary events of 1905, contradictions intensified even more within the ranks of the Symbolists, which ultimately led this movement to crisis.

It should be noted, however, that Russian symbolists made a significant contribution to the development of Russian culture. The most talented of them, in their own way, reflected the tragedy of the situation of a person who could not find his place in a world shaken by grandiose social conflicts, and tried to find new ways for artistic understanding of the world. They made serious discoveries in the field of poetics, rhythmic reorganization of verse, and strengthening of the musical principle in it.

6. Other trends in literature.

“Post-symbolist poetry discarded the “supersensible” meanings of symbolism, but the increased ability of the word to evoke unnamed ideas and to replace what was missing with associations remained. In the symbolistic heritage, intense associativity turned out to be the most viable.”

At the beginning of the second decade of the 20th century, two new poetic movements appeared - Acmeism and Futurism.

Acmeists (from the Greek word “acme” - blooming time, the highest degree of something) called for clearing poetry from philosophy and all kinds of “methodological” hobbies, from the use of vague hints and symbols, proclaiming a return to the material world and acceptance of it as it is there is: with its joys, vices, evil and injustice, demonstratively refusing to solve social problems and affirming the principle of “art for art’s sake.” However, the work of such talented Acmeist poets as N. Gumilev, S. Gorodetsky, A. Akhmatova, M. Kuzmin, O. Mandelstam, went beyond the theoretical principles they proclaimed. Each of them brought into poetry his own, unique to him, motives and moods, his own poetic images.

The futurists came out with different views on art in general and poetry in particular. They declared themselves opponents of modern bourgeois society, which disfigures the individual, and defenders of the “natural” person, his right to free, individual development. But these statements often amounted to an abstract declaration of individualism, freedom from moral and cultural traditions.

Unlike the Acmeists, who, although they opposed symbolism, nevertheless considered themselves to a certain extent its successors, the futurists from the very beginning proclaimed a complete rejection of any literary traditions and first of all from the classical heritage, arguing that it is hopelessly outdated. In their loud and boldly written manifestos, they glorified a new life, developing under the influence of science and technological progress, rejecting everything that was “before”, they declared their desire to remake the world, which, from their point of view, should be facilitated to a large extent by poetry. Futurists sought to reify the word, to connect its sound directly with the object that it denotes. This, in their opinion, should have led to the reconstruction of the natural and the creation of a new, widely available language, capable of breaking down verbal barriers that separate people.

Futurism united different groups, among which the most famous were: cubo-futurists (V. Mayakovsky, V. Kamensky, D. Burlyuk, V. Khlebnikov), ego-futurists (I. Severyanin), the Centrifuge group (N. Aseev, B. Pasternak and etc.).

In the conditions of the revolutionary upsurge and crisis of autocracy, Acmeism and Futurism turned out to be unviable and ceased to exist by the end of the 1910s.

Among the new trends that arose in Russian poetry during this period, a group of so-called “peasant” poets began to occupy a prominent place - N. Klyuev, A. Shiryaevets, S. Klychkov, P. Oreshin. For some time S. Yesenin was close to them, who subsequently set out on an independent and broad creative path. Contemporaries saw in them nuggets who reflected the worries and troubles of the Russian peasantry. They were also united by the commonality of some poetic techniques and the widespread use of religious symbols and folklore motifs.

Among the poets of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there were those whose work did not fit into the currents and groups that existed at that time. Such are, for example, I. Bunin, who sought to continue the traditions of Russian classical poetry; I. Annensky, in some ways close to the Symbolists and at the same time far from them, looking for his way in the vast poetic sea; Sasha Cherny, who called himself a “chronic” satirist, brilliantly mastered “anti-aesthetic” means of exposing philistinism and philistinism; M. Tsvetaeva with her “poetic responsiveness to the new sound of the air.”

Russian literary movements of the early 20th century are characterized by the Renaissance's turn to religion and Christianity. Russian poets could not resist aestheticism; in different ways they tried to overcome individualism. The first in this direction was Merezhkovsky, then the leading representatives of Russian symbolism began to contrast conciliarism with individualism, mysticism with aestheticism. Vyach. Ivanov and A. Bely were theorists of mystically colored symbolism. There was a rapprochement with the current that emerged from Marxism and idealism.

Vyacheslav Ivanov was one of the most remarkable people of that era: the best Russian Hellenist, poet, learned philologist, specialist in Greek religion, thinker, theologian and philosopher, publicist. His “environments” on the “tower” (as Ivanov’s apartment was called) were attended by the most gifted and remarkable people of that era: poets, philosophers, scientists, artists, actors and even politicians. The most refined conversations took place on literary, philosophical, mystical, occult, religious, and also social topics from the perspective of the struggle of worldviews. On the “tower” the sophisticated conversations of the most gifted cultural elite were held, and below the revolution raged. These were two separate worlds.

Along with trends in literature, new trends in philosophy arose. The search for traditions for Russian philosophical thought began among the Slavophiles, Vl. Solovyov, and Dostoevsky. Religious and philosophical meetings were organized in Merezhkovsky's salon in St. Petersburg, in which both representatives of literature, sick with religious anxiety, and representatives of the traditional Orthodox church hierarchy took part. This is how N. Berdyaev described these meetings: “V. Rozanov’s problems prevailed. V. Ternavtsev, a chiliast who wrote a book about the Apocalypse, was also of great importance. We talked about the relationship of Christianity to culture. In the center there was a theme about the flesh, about sex... In the atmosphere of the Merezhkovsky salon there was something super-personal, diffused in the air, some kind of unhealthy magic, which probably happens in sectarian circles, in sects of a non-rationalistic and non-evangelical type. .. The Merezhkovskys always pretended to speak from a certain “we” and wanted to involve people who came into close contact with them into this “we”. D. Filosofov belonged to this “we,” and at one time A. Bely almost joined it. This “we” they called the secret of three. This is how the new Church of the Holy Spirit was to take shape, in which the mystery of the flesh would be revealed.”

In the philosophy of Vasily Rozanov, “flesh” and “sex” meant a return to pre-Christianity, to Judaism and paganism. His religious mindset was combined with criticism of Christian asceticism, the apotheosis of family and gender, in the elements of which Rozanov saw the basis of life. For him, life triumphs not through resurrection to eternal life, but through procreation, that is, the disintegration of the personality into many new born personalities in which the life of the race continues. Rozanov preached the religion of eternal birth. Christianity for him is a religion of death.

In Vladimir Solovyov’s teaching about the universe as a “total unity,” Christian Platonism is intertwined with the ideas of new European idealism, especially F.V. Schelling, natural science evolutionism and unorthodox mysticism (the doctrine of the “world soul”, etc.). The collapse of the utopian ideal of a global theocracy led to increased eschatological (about the finitude of the world and man) sentiments. Vl. Soloviev had a great influence on Russian religious philosophy and symbolism.

Pavel Florensky developed the doctrine of Sophia (the Wisdom of God) as the basis of the meaningfulness and integrity of the universe. He was the initiator of a new type of Orthodox theology, not scholastic theology, but experimental theology. Florensky was a Platonist and interpreted Plato in his own way, and later became a priest.

Sergei Bulgakov is one of the main figures of the Religious and Philosophical Society “in memory of Vladimir Solovyov”. From legal Marxism, which he tried to combine with neo-Kantianism, he moved to religious philosophy, then to Orthodox theology, and became a priest.

And, of course, Nikolai Berdyaev is a figure of world significance. A man who sought to criticize and overcome any form of dogmatism, wherever they appeared, a Christian humanist who called himself a “believing freethinker.” Human tragic fate, expelled from his homeland, and all his life his soul ached for her. A man whose heritage, until recently, was studied all over the world, but not in Russia. The great philosopher, who is waiting to return to his homeland.

Let us dwell in more detail on two movements associated with mystical and religious quests.

“One current was represented by Orthodox religious philosophy, which, however, was not very acceptable for official church life. These are, first of all, S. Bulgakov, P. Florensky and those grouping around them. Another movement was represented by religious mysticism and occultism. These are A. Bely, Vyach. Ivanov... and even A. Blok, despite the fact that he was not inclined towards any ideologies, the youth grouped around the Musaget publishing house, anthroposophists. One movement introduced Sophia into the system of Orthodox dogma. Another movement was captivated by illogical sophistry. The cosmic seduction, characteristic of the entire era, was both here and there. With the exception of S. Bulgakov, for these movements Christ and the Gospel were not at all at the center. P. Florensky, despite all his desire to be ultra-Orthodox, was completely in the cosmic seduction. The religious revival was Christian-oriented, Christian topics were discussed and Christian terminology was used. But there was a strong element of pagan revival, the Hellenic spirit was stronger than the biblical messianic spirit. At a certain moment, there was a mixture of different spiritual movements. The era was syncretic, it was reminiscent of the search for mysteries and Neoplatonism of the Hellenistic era and German romanticism of the early 19th century. There was no real religious revival, but there was spiritual tension, religious excitement and quest. There was a new problematic of religious consciousness, associated with the movements of the 19th century (Khomyakov, Dostoevsky, Vl. Solovyov). But official churchliness remained outside of this issue. There was no religious reform in the church.”

Much of the creative upsurge of that time entered into the further development of Russian culture and is now the property of all Russian cultural people. But then there was the intoxication of creativity, novelty, tension, struggle, challenge.

7.Music: changing priorities.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries (before 1917) were a period no less rich, but much more complex. It is not separated from the previous one by any sharp turning point: at this time M.A. Balakirev and Ts.A. Cui continue to create; the best, peak works of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov date back to the 90s of the 19th century. and the first decade of the 20th century. But Musorsky and Borodin had already passed away, and in 1893. - Chaikovsky. They are being replaced by students, heirs and continuers of traditions: S. Tanev, A. Glazunov, S. Rachmaninov. New times and new tastes are felt in their work. There have also been changes in genre priorities. Thus, opera, which occupied the main place in Russian music for more than 100 years, faded into the background. And the role of ballet, on the contrary, has grown. The work of P.I. Tchaikovsky - the creation of beautiful ballets - was continued by Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov (1865-1936) - the author of the wonderful “Raymonda” (1897), “The Young Peasant Lady” (1898).

Symphonic and chamber genres have received widespread development. Glazunov created eight symphonies and the symphonic poem “Stepan Razin” (1885) 1. Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev (1856-1915) composed symphonies, piano trios and quintets. And Rachmaninov's piano concertos (like Tchaikovsky's concertos and Glazunov's violin concerto) are among the pinnacles of world art.

Among the younger generation of musicians there were composers of a new type. They wrote music in new, sometimes even edgy, ways. These include Scriabin, whose music captivated some with its power and frightened others with its novelty, and Stravinsky, whose ballets, staged during the Russian Seasons in Paris, attracted the attention of all Europe. During the years of the 1st World War, another star, S. Prokofiev, rose on the Russian horizon.

At the beginning of the 19th century. Through Russian music, as through all art, there is a theme of expectation of great changes that took place and influenced art.

Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninov (1873-1943). His music quickly won the attention and recognition of the public. His early works “Elegy”, “Barcarolle”, “Punichinelle” were perceived as a life diary.

Chekhov was his favorite writer; the symphonic poem “The Cliff” was written based on Chekhov’s stories “On the Road.”

Only in 1926 he completed the 4th piano concerto, begun in Russia. Then “Three Russian Songs for Choir and Orchestra” appears, where the prowess of despair sounded. Between 1931 and 1934 Rachmaninov worked on two large cycles: for piano “Variations on a Theme of Corelli” (20 variations) and “Rhapsody for piano and orchestra on a theme of a violin piece by Nicolo Paganini”, consisting of variations.

Rachmaninov dedicated his last work, “Symphonic Mysteries” (1940), to the Philadelphia Orchestra, with which he especially loved to perform.

Alexander Nikolaevich Scriabin (1871-1915). Scriabin's works contained detailed literary programs, but the titles were quite abstract (“Divine Poem” - 3rd Symphony, 1904, “Poem of Ecstasy”, 1907, “Poem of Fire” - “Prometheus”, 1910). But Scriabin conceived an even more grandiose work on synthetic principles - “Mystery”. Three symphonies were also written (1900, 1901, 1904), the opera “Koschey the Immortal” (1901), “Poem of Ecstasy”, “Prometheus” for piano: 10 sonatas, mazurkas, waltzes, poems, etudes, etc. 2.

Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky (1882-1971). In “The Firebird” (1910) this is the theme of the fairy tale about the evil Koshchei and the fall of his dark kingdom, in “The Sacred Vienna” (1913) - the theme of ancient pagan rituals, sacrifices in honor of the spring rebirth of life, in honor of the earth-nurse. The ballet “Petrushka” (1911), one of the most popular, was inspired by Maslenitsa festivities and traditional puppet shows featuring Petrushka, his rival Arap and the Ballerina (Columbine).

Being far from home, from his homeland, the Russian theme continued to live in his works (“Wedding,” 1923).

The variety of Stravinsky's compositions is noticeably staggering. Let us highlight the opera-oratorio “Oedipus the King” and the ballet “Apollo Musagete” (1928). Stravinsky wrote the opera “The Rake's Progress” (1951).

Speaking about the music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, one cannot fail to mention musical theater. Ballet and opera art was provided with state support. Ballet dancers were patronized by the most distinguished persons (Matilda Kmesinskaya and the patronage of the Grand Dukes of the Romanovs). Moreover, opera and ballet art became the hallmark of all Russian art within the framework of the “Russian seasons” in Paris by Sergei Dyagelev (1907-1913).

The Moscow Private Opera in its repertoire promoted primarily the works of Russian composers and played an important role in the realistic disclosure of Mussorgsky's operas and in the birth of new works by Rimsky-Korsakov. Chaliapin sang in it, Rachmaninov was at the helm, Rimsky-Korsakov was her friend and creative support. Here the performance was created by a stage ensemble, in which the composer, the orchestra led by the conductor, the stage director, and set designers participated - these were accomplices in the creation of a single whole, which was not the case in the imperial theaters, where everyone worked separately. Thus, outstanding artists V.D. worked at the Mamontov Private Opera. Polenov (“The Mermaid” by Dargomyzhsky, 1896, “Orpheus” by Gluck, 1897, “Faust” by Gounod, 1897, “Boris Godunov” by Mussorgsky, 1898, “The Maid of Orleans” by Tchaikovsky, 1899, etc.), V. Vasnetsov (“The Snow Maiden” Rimsky-Korsakov, 1885, “The Enchantress” by Tchaikovsky, 1900), M.A. Vasnetsov (“Ivan Susanin” by Glinka, 1896, “Khovanshchina” by Mussorgsky, 1897), M.A. Vrubel (“Tannhäuser” by Wagner, “Alesya” Ippolitov Ivanova, “ Prisoner of the Caucasus" Cui, " Queen of Spades” Tchaikovsky, “Rogneda” by A. Serov, “The Snow Maiden”, “Sadko”, “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, “Mozart and Salieri”, “The Tsar’s Bride” by Rimsky-Korsakov), V. Serov (“Judith” and “Rogneda” "), K. Korovin (“Pskov Woman”, “Faust”, “Prince Igor”, “Sadko”).

8. The rise of theaters.

This is the most “theatrical” era in the history of Russian literature. The theater played perhaps the leading role in it, spreading its influence to other forms of art.

The theater in these years was a public platform where the most pressing issues of our time were raised, and at the same time a creative laboratory that opened the door wide to experimentation and creative quests. Major artists turned to the theater, striving for a synthesis of different types of creativity.

For the Russian theater this is an era of ups and downs, innovative creative searches and experiments. In this sense, theater did not lag behind literature and art.

At the forefront of theatrical art was the Moscow Art Theater, led by Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, with a wonderful troupe of young actors, which included O. Knipper-Chekhova, M. Limina, Vs. Meyerhold, V. Kachalov, I. M. Moskvin, A. Vishnevsky and others.

The surge in theatrical art was associated with the theater’s collaboration with A.P. Chekhov after the triumphant premiere of “The Seagull” in December 1898. In 1900. An event in theatrical life was the production of R. Ibsen’s play “Doctor Shtokman”. It acquired an acute social resonance on stage. Shtokman, performed by Stanislavsky, became “the hero of a heroless time.”

A new page in the history of the Moscow Art Theater and in all theatrical art was the dramaturgy of M. Gorky, who fell in love with the theater troupe and wrote to Chekhov that it was criminal not to write for such a theater.

The first play, “The Bourgeois,” was written by Gorky in 1902; it was allowed to be staged with abundant censorship notes (everything that was said about the hard lot of workers, about their rights, about the inevitable breakdown of the existing order was crossed out). But at the screening of the play in St. Petersburg, where the theater came on tour, there was a heavy police presence in and around the theater building. And Nemirovich-Danchenko went to the gallery and asked the student youth not to organize any demonstrations so that repression would not fall on Gorky.

New hero Gorky’s worker Nile states: “The owner is the one who works... A person must win his own rights if he does not want to be crushed...”. For folk theaters the play was banned, but still “Philistines” was performed in many cities: Samara, Saratov, Kyiv, Yaroslavl, Perm, Vyborg, Pinsk, Yelets, Sarapul, etc.

A year later, Gorky gave it to the Na Dne theater. In the first season, in 2 months, the play appeared on the Moscow Art Theater posters 50 times, and on tour in St. Petersburg - 12 times. And invariably - in front of a crowded auditorium. The furor after the performances went beyond all usual limits. At the end of the performance there was no end to the challenges of the author, directors, performers (Stanislavsky - Satin, Moskvin - Luka, Kachalov - Baron, Knipper - Nastya, Leonidov - Vaska Pepla ...). Man – that sounds proud! - became the password of the people's struggle against tsarism.

The play “At the Lower Depths” also went on to most theater stages in Russia, albeit with different interpretations. Sometimes in provincial theaters the slang of the flophouse was relished, the plot was presented as a comedy. But the majority took the play seriously and thoughtfully.

K.S. Stanislavsky admitted that “the main initiator and creator of the socio-political life of the theater was Gorky.” The Russian theater is becoming an arena of open political struggle. But not all theaters took progressive positions in this struggle. Many stood aloof from this battle, and sometimes they allowed plays of a Black Hundred nature on their stage (“The Return” by Donne at the Moscow Korsh Theater), etc.

A further contribution to the stage interpretation of Gorky’s dramaturgy is associated with the theater of Vera Fedorovna Komissarzhevskaya, who left the imperial stage of the Alexander Theater in 1902, and after touring the provinces, she created her own theater on a share basis, similar to the Moscow Art Theater.

In November 1904, the premiere of Gorky’s 3rd play “Summer Residents” took place here about the Russian intelligentsia, which came from the democratic strata, but having reached a certain social position, lost contact with the people, forgetting about their interests and the need to improve their lives. Writer A.N. Serebrov (Tikhonov), who was present at the premiere, called “Dachnikov” “a performance – a demonstration, a performance – a fight.”

In the fall of 1905, the theater staged “Children of the Sun.” After the performance they demanded the author, although everyone knew that Gorky was in exile.

Thus, Gorky's plays became leading in the repertoire of the Komissarzhevskaya Theater, Moscow Art Theater and other theaters. But since 1906, the situation has changed dramatically: “Summer Residents” and “Children of the Sun” disappeared from posters, “Philistines” and “At the Lower Depths” moved into the background. They were not allowed to stage Gorky’s plays “Enemies” (1906) and “The Last” (1908). And what was staged was distorted. So “Varvarov” was staged as a comedy in 1907 at the St. Petersburg Modern Theater. “Vassa Zheleznova” was staged as a formulaic melodrama at the Moscow Nezlobin Theater in 1910. As a result, the plays “The Zykovs” (1913), “False Coin” (1913), and “The Old Man” (1915) were not staged at all before the revolution.

These were the years of political reaction, and the theater was looking for new forms of existence and self-expression, but for many theater groups these were years of stagnation. A muddy stream of plays of dubious nature poured onto the theater stages (“Girl with a Mouse” by S. Aleksin, “Vera Mirtseva” by L. Urvantsev, as well as “The Comedy of Death” by V. Baryatinsky, etc.) Plays were staged openly designed for cheap sensation ( “Blind Love” by N. Grushko, where a mother covers up the crime of her son who strangled a girl; “Scolded” by P. Nevezhin with atrocities, suicides, with a real memorial service for the deceased - this was during the war years). The separation of the repertoire from modernity, common to theatres, partially captured even the Moscow Art Theater for some time. Critics at that time noted that the theater’s performances bore a mark of creative fatigue.

The same picture could be seen at the Moscow Maly Theater. The realism of Ostrovsky's plays was replaced by petty everydayism.

Symbolism was not approved. Thus, in the dramas of F.K. Sologub, a philosophical rejection of life was felt, in which there is no place for high spirituality, for beauty and truth. A.M. Remizov's folklore plays were full of sinister motives.

Symbolism affected some of the plays of L.N. Andreev, in the early work of the futurist V. Mayakovsky (the tragedy “Vladimir Mayakovsky”).

The largest theaters turned to the dramaturgy of the Symbolists. So in 1904 on the advice of A.P. Chekhov, K. Stanislavsky staged Maeterlinck’s trilogy “The Blind,” “Uninvited,” and “There Inside” at the Moscow Art Theater. In 1905 he opened the Studio Theater on Povarskaya, where, together with Meyerhold, he studied the production possibilities of the new artistic direction. There were many questions: how to reconcile the conventionality of stage design with the everyday character of the actors’ performances, how to elevate the actors’ creativity to the level of high poetic generalization, etc.?

Using the techniques of symbolism in his work on the plays “The Drama of Life” by K. Hamsun and “The Life of Man” by Andreev, Stanislavsky was convinced of the need to educate a new actor capable of deeply revealing the “life of the human spirit”, and began his experiments in creating a “system”. In 1908 he staged Maeterlinck’s philosophical play-fairy tale “The Blue Bird” (set by artist V.E. Egorov) - perhaps the best work from the symbolic repertoire. The fairy tale lasted on the stage of the Moscow Art Theater for over 60 years.

New searches were conducted in St. Petersburg at the theater of Vera Fedorovna Komissarzhevskaya. She invited Meyerhold as the main director, who carried out a number of productions in 1906-1908. Successful were Blok’s “Showroom,” M. Maeterlinck’s “Sister Beatrice,” and others. After the surge of symbolism, some theaters continued to mark time, slipping into the tastes of the bourgeois public, while others continued to boldly experiment in the vein of avant-gardeism. Such bold experimenters include V.E. Meyerhold. Already in the “Studio on Povarskaya” he proclaimed the ideas of “conventional theater”. In 1906 V.E. Meyerhold becomes the chief director of the V.F. Theater. Komissarzhevskaya and gets the opportunity to fully implement his artistic program.

In implementing the director's concept, V.E. Meyerhold was supposed to be helped by an artist. The artist had to destroy the illusion of authenticity and create a conventional design in the theater that expressed the director's idea. To this end, V.E. Meyerhold tried to destroy the three-dimensional stage space and turn it into two-dimensional. The scenery was replaced by a picturesque panel, the stage area was reduced and became its appendage (often moved to the proscenium). The director treated the actor as a colorful spot, because he was interested on stage not only in the expression of real characters, but in revealing the essence of a symbolic play through the director's idea. He sought to replace the illusion of plausibility with convention. This was done in contrast to the Moscow Art Theater, which always revealed the playwright’s intentions and tirelessly emphasized the central importance of the actor’s creativity in the play.

V.E. Meyerhold found artists who became his allies (N.N. Sapunov, S.Yu. Sudeikin, N.P. Ulyanov, V.S. Denisov, etc.). At the Komissarzhevskaya Theater, V.E. Meyerhold’s productions were uneven. Thus, the social, everyday, psychological play “Hedda Gabler” by Ibsen (artists Sudeikin, Sapunov, V.D. Milioti) was staged in a conventionally symbolic manner.

In 1906-1907 V.E. Meyerhold stages a number of performances at the Komissarzhevskaya Theater, each of which seeks new design techniques. The director sought to achieve almost complete statuesqueness in the acting, motivating it either by the “mystical nature” of the production (for example, “Beatrice’s Sisters”), or by the idea of ​​reviving the ancient theater. This led to the replacement of a living person with a puppet. And therefore, very soon part of the troupe, led by Komissarzhevskaya herself, rebelled against V.E. Meyerhold. And she broke up with V.E. Meyerhold, just as Stanislavsky had broken up with him earlier. Using symbolist dramaturgy, he tried to create the principles of a new “conventional theater.”

In 1908 V.A. Telyakovsky (director of the office of the imperial theaters (1901-1917), he sought to renew the work, attract the best forces, enrich the theaters with the experience of modern art) attracted V.E. Meyerhold to the imperial theaters after his departure from Komissarzhevskaya. At this time, V.E. Meyerhold actively collaborated with the artist A.Ya. Golovin. In his directorial plans, V.E. Meyerhold devoted a large place to the design of the theater. An example of successful collaboration between director V.E. Meyerhold and artist Golovin can be the play “Don Juan” by Moliere at the Alexandria Theater (1910). Delivered by them in 1917. Lermontov’s “Masquerade” lasted on the stage of the Alexandria Theater until 1939. V.E. Meyerhold and Golovin tried, not unsuccessfully, to transfer the found principles of design to the musical theater (the opera “Orpheus” by Gluck, 1911, the ballet “The Aragonese Hunt” by Glinka, 1916, the opera “The Stone Guest” by Dargomyzhsky, 1917 at the Mariinsky Theater, etc. ). V.E. Meyerhold’s mistake was that he tried to make the principles of the “Conditional” (“Traditional Theater”) universal.

In 1913 a theater of futurist rebels against bourgeois reality arises. The tragedy “Vladimir Mayakovsky” was staged here, designed by P.N. Filonov and I.S. Shkolnik.

In 1914, the Chamber Theater began operating in Moscow under the leadership of A.Ya. Tairov, whose team boldly experimented and was also keen on “playing theatre”.

The activities of such major artists as N.S. Goncharov, A.V. Lentulov, P.V. Kuznetsov, A.A. Exter developed in this theater.

Interesting were the experiments of A. Exter, who was brought up in France on the works of post-impressionists, who designed the theater and its performances in the style of cubo-futurism and constructivism. Thus, during the production of O. Wilde’s “Salome” (1916), the stage was divided diagonally by two stands, between which there was a spiral staircase.

The Moscow Art Theater, turning to the fashionable dramaturgy of the Symbolists, did not forget about the classics: “A Month in the Village” by I.S. Turgenev (art. Dobuzhinsky), “Simplicity is enough for every wise man” by A.N. Ostrovsky (art. Kustodiev), “The Imaginary Ill “J.B. Moliere, “The Hostess of the Hotel” by C. Goldoni (Stanislavsky and Benois agreed on criticism of “conventional theater”), “The Brothers Karamazov” by F.M. Dostoevsky (artist Dobushinsky), etc.

An interesting phenomenon in the theatrical life of the capitals were cabaret theaters, which were close to the folk booth.

So, in February 1908 Moscow Art Theater actor Nikita Baliev, together with some employees, opened the Bat Theater. The idea of ​​such a theater originated from the famous skit-makers at the Art Theater. “The Bat” became a nighttime retreat for Moscow Art Theater actors and was the center of Moscow nightlife until its closure in 1919.

In 1920 Baliev revived “ bat” in Paris, with which he toured around the world.

The life of such cabaret theaters was not long, but they brought a special mood to theatrical life that time.

9. Conclusion.

In conclusion, with the words of N. Berdyaev, I would like to describe all the horror, all the tragedy of the situation in which the creators of spiritual culture, the flower of the nation, the best minds not only of Russia, but also of the world found themselves.

“The misfortune of the cultural renaissance of the early 20th century was that in it the cultural elite was isolated in a small circle and cut off from the broad social trends of the time. This had fatal consequences in the character that the Russian revolution took...Russian people of that time lived on different floors and even in different centuries. The cultural renaissance did not have any broad social radiation.... Many supporters and exponents of the cultural renaissance remained leftists, sympathized with the revolution, but there was a cooling towards social issues, there was an absorption in new problems of a philosophical, aesthetic, religious, mystical nature that remained alien to people , actively participating in the social movement... The intelligentsia committed an act of suicide. In Russia before the revolution, two races were formed, as it were. And the fault was on both sides, that is, on the figures of the Renaissance, on their social and moral indifference...

The schism characteristic of Russian history, the schism that grew throughout the 19th century, the abyss that unfolded between the upper, refined cultural layer and broad circles, popular and intellectual, led to the fact that the Russian cultural renaissance fell into this opening abyss. The revolution began to destroy this cultural renaissance and persecute the creators of culture... Workers of Russian spiritual culture, for the most part, were forced to move abroad. In part, this was retribution for the social indifference of the creators of spiritual culture.”

Time and the neglect of descendants led to the loss of many cultural monuments. But the history of Russian culture shows that in addition to losses, there were also finds and discoveries. Thus, after many centuries, “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” returned to our culture, and the spiritual significance of Russian literature was revived. Thus, ancient Russian icons, discovered under several layers of later painting, were restored. Domestic non-Marxist philosophy is being re-mastered, and the literature and art of the Russian diaspora of the 20th century are coming into our culture.

The history of national culture is not limited to national boundaries. Representatives of other nations made an enormous contribution to Russian culture, just as figures of Russian origin devoted their strength and talent to the cultural development of the peoples of the USSR and other countries.

Russian culture was formed and is developing today as one of the branches of the mighty tree of world universal human culture. Its contribution to world cultural progress is undeniable: these are cultural scientific discoveries, and masterpieces of literature and art, and, perhaps most importantly, loyalty to humanistic ideals.

Bibliography:

1. Russian poetry of the 19th - early 20th centuries, M., 1987

2. “World History” fiction", M., 1998

3. Big encyclopedic dictionary, M., 1994

4. Three centuries of Russian poetry, M., 1968

5. Bely A. “The Beginning of the Century”, M., 1990

6. Berdyaev N. “Self-knowledge”, M., 1990.

7. Blok A. “Ten poetic books”, M., 1980

Eschatology is a religious doctrine about the ultimate destinies of the world and man.

Esoteric - secret, hidden, intended exclusively for initiates.

Ecstatic - enthusiastic, frenzied, in a state of ecstasy.

Anthroposophy is a hypersensitive knowledge of the world through self-knowledge of man as a cosmic being.